Great football and golf yesterday! Could not have been better!

Syracuse football last night. The Orange won their fourth consecutive game. Beat Virginia 22-20.

The game did not turn out as I expected. The Vegas line was 10.5 points. Syracuse was winning 16-0 at half time. That is when I fell asleep. I was not aware that Virginia came back big time in the second half and only lost by 2 points. I found out this morning when I woke up Syracuse won with a field goal with a minute to play.

Nevertheless, a victory is a victory. Congratulations, Syracuse!

Then there was golf. Two tournaments.

First, the Presidents Cup.

The USA is up 8-2 after 2 days. Was expected. However the Internationals went down fighting yesterday. Most of the matches close. Tight.

The Pure Insurance Tournament later in the day at Pebble Beach. Caught a part of the tournament early this morning.

Pebble Beach is golf heaven. I was fortunate to have played there several times. Beautiful! Tough does not describe it. Fun, however. I felt honored each time I played the course.

I was the worse golfer in the world. Shot around 135. Shot on average 165 at Pebble Beach. Don’t laugh. I took up the game late in life. Took one lesson. Enjoyed the beauty of a course, the comradeship and the 19th hole.

This hurricane thing is bothering me. First it was called Hermine. Now a different one called Ian.

Making me nervous. Cone wide so not sure if it will hit or how close. Advised it will hit as a 3 if it does. No fun. It is get out of Dodge time.

Started getting ready yesterday. Not doing well.

Wrote Jean Thornton. Room at the inn for me in Birmingham? Lots of room. No one there. Jean and Joe on a Mississippi trip till October 4.

Jean terrific! Offered to have a key left at the house. I don’t want to do that. Ergo still searching for somewhere to escape if I must.

Got the car ready. Changed the oil. New windshield wipers. Checked air in tires.

I noticed Key West gas stations were crowded. No lines in the streets yet. Next, however.

Ordered hurricane food to be delivered this morning. Edibles that can be kept and eaten without cooking or refrigeration. Lots of water. In case I opt to stay home and get stuck.

Steve Thompson and buddies enjoyed life in the 1970’s. Those were the days. Steve wrote about what he described as a trip on Air Margaritaville.

Jimmy had a concert in Tampa one night. So a bunch of the Chart Room gang chartered a flight.

In the 70’s you could smoke on the plane. Something about this smoke did not smell the same. Suddenly the stewardess said, “Ok, you guys knock it off. The pilots are laughing and smelling the pot!”

Spirit is off the rocks and on a flatbed. All to Guy’s relief, I’m sure.

Families are not what they used to be. More and more are dysfunctional. Especially from the children’s end. Adult children are cutting their parents off with more frequency.

The technical description is “emotional cutoff.”

No contact.

The problem works in reverse also. Some parents initiate the cutoff.

A 2020 study revealed 1 in 4 Americans are “estranged” from their families. Amounts to about 70 million in the U.S.

Margaret Thatcher was a tough British Prime Minister. Effective. Considered one of the best British Prime Ministers in modern times.

Gender could have had something to do with it. She is recalled having said: “If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.”

My “hurricane groceries” just delivered. Jaqueline is my delivery person. She said Publix was packed, people were stripping the shelves quickly.

I hope Ian misses the Keys. Hurricanes are no fun. I’m not in the mood for another Irma.

Enjoy your day!

The trip itself was a heavy load for Guy DeBoer to bear. Recovery of his boat Spirit may be even more.

Recovery begins today. Ongoing as I write. The first task is to remove it from the rocks. How long, how difficult, I do not know.

The next step will be where Guy does the repairs. In Spain or France? Apparently France has better facilities.

All I know for the moment.

The big news item for the next few days is the hurricane. What hurricane? Does not have a name yet, nor is it even a tropical storm. However the experts have warned us. It will cover southern Florida. The cone shows it sweeping widely over the lower Keys as a Category 2.

More will be known over the weekend.

The problem is if it hits, it will do so Tuesday or Wednesday. Not much time to get ready and get out of Dodge.

Syracuse football tonight. The Orange play Virginia at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse is 3-0, Virginia 2-1. Syracuse a 10.5 point favorite.

Game time 7 pm.

I went to Walgreens yesterday morning for my booster and flu shots. Booster frozen and would not be thawed till afternoon. I decided to return this morning and get both shots at one time.

Spent most of the afternoon watching the President’s Cup. U.S.A. 4-1 at the end of the afternoon. A big deal, yet not. The European team is less experienced and talented because of LIV.

My feet are better. Jungle voodoo works. Have a heavy session scheduled for this afternoon.

A full plate today.

Enjoy your day!

I wrote yesterday Putin was heading for trouble at home. He could be deposed. My sense it was a question of time. Turns out time had run out. As I was writing my blog, Russians had already gone to the streets in protest of Putin’s call for partial mobilization.

The Russian people do not want war. They are making it clear.

Many are seeking ways to escape Moscow and St. Petersburg. Even remote areas of Siberia. Anxious people. Especially those who might be subject to the immediate draft.

Planes are sold out. Black market tickets are available. Over $16,000 one way.

Some sought to drive out. Made it to land borders with Finland and Mongolia. Long traffic jams developed at the borders and check points.

Putin’s mobilization call is the first Russian draft since World War II. The people are not buying it. Street demonstrations prevalent in Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as smaller cities. Overall, 1,300 arrested. Five hundred plus in Moscow and St. Petersburg alone.

The chants in the streets self-explanatory: “Let our children live!…..Send Putin to the trenches!…..No to war!”

In St. Petersburg, police were beating protesters with batons. In one small community, the chant was: “I don’t want to die for Putin and you!”

A petition was started in Moscow denouncing the mobilization and conflict. By day’s end, it had already garnered 292,000 signatures.

Those drafted will receive 15 days training. Then it’s off to the battlefront. The draftees are similar to U.S. reservists. Except, Americans receive constant training. Russian draftees are those who already served at some time in the military. Period. No further training. Most did their service years ago.

A group called Mabil said the mobilization “means that thousands of Russian men – our fathers and husbands – will be thrown into the meat grinder of war. What will they die for? For Putin’s palace?…..The authorities at first said that only ‘professionals’ were fighting and that they would win. It turned out they were not winning. So the war is no longer somewhere out there; it has come to our homes.”

One mother’s words: “I don’t want my son to go to war, this is unacceptable…..Why do our children have to sacrifice their lives? We never wanted this war.”

She sent her children to Armenia last week.

Business elites and intelligentsia view the war as “a stupid mistake.”

It is reported Putin is concerned and the concern is growing. One person: Putin “is said to have been obsessed with the footage of Gaddafi being pulled out of a culvert, sodomized with a bayonet, and then shot in the streets by his own people.” The comment was followed by may “his worst fears come true.”

May Putin pay for his sins. Sooner than later.

Russians have been living well in recent years. When Putin decided to invade Ukraine, his people bought the lies he told as the reasons for the invasion. The Russian people were led to believe the “operation” was a piece of cake. a walk in the park.

Now the truth is leaking out. Russian life slowly taking on the existence of a war economy. Many Russians asking questions.

Putin continues to add to their hardships. At some point, the Russian people will say no more and the unthinkable will occur. The people will dump him. How severely depends on how quietly Putin departs. If he makes a fuss, his end could be similar to Mussolini’s.

In the middle of the night, this past night, while much of the world slept, Putin announced a further mobilization. Necessary for an escalation of the “war” with Ukraine.

Putin has thrown down the gauntlet once again.

He called up 300,000 more troops. Where is he going to get them? Mothers and children taken from their homes? He already extended the “draft” from 18-60. Last week announced criminals were being solicited from jails. If they agreed to serve, their sentences would be voided after 6 months.

His middle of the night announcement also stated in unequivocal terms that Putin was prepared to use nuclear weapons. He was emphatic that he was serious in this regard.

His words, his challenge, obviously born of desperation.

World leaders are speaking today at the United Nations. Biden is scheduled to speak to the Assembly at 10:30. His response will be interesting.

New York Attorney General Letita Jones announced she will make a “major announcement” at 11:30 this morning. It is assumed it will involve Donald Trump and his businesses that she has been investigating.

As a lawyer, it is a pleasure to finally observe a “real judge” involved in the Mar-a-Lago documents matter.

Special Master Judge Dearie held his first hearing yesterday. It was obvious he was not going to put up with bullshit and delay. He was not buying Trump’s present position re classification. Judge Dearie’s approach direct and to the point: If classified, say so…..”You can’t have your cake and eat it.”

Amusing is the fact that Judge Dearie was one of Trump’s suggestions to serve as Special Master.

It was clear the Judge is going to move his responsibility with dispatch. He was suggesting a wrap up date of October 7. Much earlier than even the DOJ attorneys were suggesting.

It was announced that Governor DeSantis was sending another immigrant filled plane north yesterday. To Delaware. Obviously to insult/embarrass Biden. Delaware is Biden’s home state.

The plane arrived as threatened. One difference from what had been anticipated. It was empty. No immigrants on board.

DeSantis wants to be President. We had enough of his type game playing with Trump.

Poor Joe Manchin. He’s upset. He decries the “revenge politics” he is being subjected to. Concerns the speed up approval he wants for  permits to energize certain projects.

Manchin is learning that what goes around, comes around. Respectfully, he was a ball breaker first class for more than a year. The Democrats were upset with him. The Republicans cheered him as one of theirs. It was thought he might become a Republican.

Now the Republicans are openly bucking him. Most of the Democrats silently smiling and happy Manchin is getting his just due.

Again what goes around, comes around. In Manchin’s case, deservedly so.

During the pandemic, food supplies diminished. The federal government pumped money into various state programs. Several involved child nutrition programs: Food for children.

A major federal indictment was announced yesterday in the State of Minnesota.

Feeding Our Future is a non profit organization. One of its “good works” was to help feed hungry kids during the pandemic. The group received $250 million federal dollars. Very very few dollars went to the children. Most went into the pockets of those managing the program.

Forty seven people have been charged with personal use of the funds. The money went to buy luxury cars, property and jewelry. The properties purchased included seashore homes in Turkey and luxury homes in Africa.

One more federally financed benefit awaits the 47. Long term vacations in federal prisons.

Sexual activity must be on the rise. Sexually transmitted diseases are. Across the U.S. A trend.

Health officials and sexual health advocates are concerned. They are pressing the federal government to do more to stop the spread of STD’s.

Hurricane Fiona is now a Category 4. Moving northward, Fiona is expected to reach Bermuda by week’s end.

Fiona has left behind extreme devastation in Puerto Rico, the Turks, Caicos and the Dominican Republic.

Steve Thompson reports Key West was a cheap place to live in the 1970’s.

There were no cell phones or computers then. For seven bucks a month you could put a landline in. The business needed a phone, but that was all. Most of my friends didn’t have a phone so there was no one to call.

Although cable TV was all we had, $15 a month didn’t seem too bad. Many houses were appraised less than $20,000 so there was no property tax to pay.

Enjoy your day!

Whacko speaks out again! Bess Levin reports it.

Got to love Bess Levin. Vanity Fair’s star investigative reporter isn’t afraid to call them as she sees them. And correct she always is!

Her recent 9/19 article: Trump Throws Important Shit Fit Over FBI Agents Not “Taking Off Their Shoes”” In His Bedroom. According to Trump, Mar-a-Lago will never be the same.

Things a little confusing. Trump facing 30 years in jail if indicted and convicted. Yet his primary concern is FBI shoes on his bedroom carpet.

Trump a recognized germaphobe.

Trump’s shoes on concern true. His words. On Sunday, he took to Truth Social to inform his followers: “…..they didn’t even take off their shoes in my bedroom. Nice!!!”

Truth Social is an all tech social media platform created by Trump Media & Technology Group, an American media and technology company founded in October 2021 by former President Donald Trump.

Trump spoke at a Youngstown, Ohio rally Saturday night. In effect, a QAnon rally. Trump appeared to openly embrace the group. One of its primary purposes to wipe out pedophilia worldwide. They believe Democrats and liberals are primarily engaged in the practice. Remember Hillary Clinton being involved in an alleged pedophilia ring operating out of the basement of a pizza establishment in Washington, D.C. several years ago.

Trump’s words similarly suggestive to those said January 6. Without being specific, he said he would lead them in whatever was to be done to make America what it had been. He would lead them.

Trump’s words had the ring of Jones’ as the Kool Aid was being passed out. Amazing how his followers buy his crap.

Queen Elizabeth II apparently had a unique relationship with South Africa’s Nelson Mandela. The relationship was mentioned on TV this past week. Whenever the two met, Mandela greeted the Queen with “Elizabeth!”

As the years move on, women seem to wear less and less clothing.

“A bra top is the new T-shirt,” says well known French fashion designer Eli Mizirahi. They are being worn today without any cover.

Last week was New York Fashion Show Week. Show after show featured at least one woman in a bra. Some, several.

The bra top trend began in 2019. Every year more and more designers utilized the concept. One designer said, “Can definitely raise eyebrows, but I don’t think that’s negative.”

Western Mexico suffered another major earthquake yesterday. A 7.6.

My former wife and I were in Acapulco when a large one hit years ago. A 6.4.

We were staying at the Acapulco Princess. A magnificent resort!

One of its features was a series of ponds. The water ran downward one pond to another. Trees and huge boulders in the water. The story was the original Tarzan movies were filmed where the ponds were located.

My wife and I were sitting chest high in the water on one of the boulders. All of a sudden, the boulder moved. Five to six inches sideways. I looked at my wife and quietly said, “The boulder moved.” She nodded in agreement. Then it moved back.

I looked around. Life was still going on. People walking and chatting. Laughing. No one seemed to have noticed what we had. I told my wife not to mention what we experienced to anyone. They would think we were crazy.

That evening we were having dinner with a couple we met at the hotel. The wife asked where we were when the earthquake struck. They had been downtown, saw the street open and a car disappearing in the hole.

My wife and I, as well as our friends, all had a good laugh as we relayed our experience and concern.

The earthquake’s center was south of Acapulco. The effect was felt in Acapulco.

Yesterday was day 3 of my massages. My feet are improved 75 percent. Not the 100 I had hoped for. Still a hell of a lot better!

Taking a day off today. The game plan is to continue tomorrow.

I feel like I am part of a voodoo experience.

Things seem to occur when they shouldn’t. Like a fire occurring when the fire fighting system was undergoing repairs resulting in a lack of water to fight the fire. Such exactly happened to St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church when it was located on Duval. It was destroyed by fire this day in 1901.

Shit happens. I reported yesterday that Key West had planted a British flag next to the Southernmost Point and wrapped a purple banner around the structure itself in respect for Queen Elizabeth.

In the middle of Sunday night, 3 men took down the flag and absconded with it. Stupid is as stupid does. Probably tourists. Drunken tourists. Unaware that Key West keeps a 24 hour video running on the structure. The 3 were captured on video. Their pictures. They have not been apprehended yet.

In the meantime, it appears the flag was abandoned within a few blocks. It was found by a local who is in the process of returning it to the police.

Guy DeBoer. Not much new to report. Only item I am aware of is Guy met with salvagers yesterday morning. No report re the meeting itself or anything else at the moment.

Enjoy your day!

I have been up since 3 watching the final hours of Queen Elizabeth’s services. History and tradition. Love it! The heart of a nation exposed. Reverence, sensitivity, value. What it’s all about.

It is 7 am at the moment. I have one eye on the computer as I prepare today’s blog and the other on the TV screen.

Key West in its own way is honoring the Queen. On friday, city workers installed a British flag aside the Southernmost Point marker and wrapped the marker in a purple banner.

Lunched at Hogfish yesterday. Sat at the bar. Julia waited on me. Enjoyed a special. Peppered lemon shrimp. Delicious!

Veronica came by at 4 to massage my feet. Tough lady! Strong hands! She bring me close to tears.

Yesterday was my second consecutive day for Veronica to hopefully work what I will consider a miracle if it succeeds. Solving my now more than 2 month old foot and leg swelling problem which medical science has failed to accomplish. She is making headway. My ankles were smaller yesterday before she began. Even smaller afterward. Normal appearing this morning. Though they will enlarge as the day moves on.

The third and final massage this afternoon.

I suspect further success. Hope for it! Actually desperate for it! Believe it will take another 3 days next week.

A manicure at noon today. Followed by lunch somewhere.

Puerto Rico can’t win. Struck by another devastating hurricane. Fiona. A Category 1. Winds 85 miles per hour. Two hours of rain.

Flooding extensive. Power system totally gone. The entire island in blackout.

Biden has already declared an emergency. Assistance on its way. I am confident it will be more than the paper towels Trump threw around.

Puerto Rico never learns. I hold it responsible for its continuing problems. It needs to become a State. For some reason, the Puerto Rican people have an obstinacy in doing it. They must enjoy what I am beginning to view as self-abuse.

In the 1960’s and 1970’s, I vacationed in Puerto Rico several times. Every visit, I ran into the same thing. People on street corers making speeches about whether to become a State. Never amounted to anything more than talk, however. Years later when I spent 2 weeks on the island handling an environmental matter, it was the same. A lot of public talking with nothing coming out of it.

DeSantis is aggravating Trump. Love it!

Rolling Stones reports Trump is complaining in private DeSantis is stealing his thunder by sending immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard and elsewhere. Trump claims it is taking the spotlight away from him.

Two sick men vying for the same sick issue.

Enjoy your day!

Guy is fortunate. He’s in a hotel room in the Canary Islands. His boat on the rocks.

Available information limited. What occurred happened early this morning. While dark.

Guy’s ship hit rocks 50 meters from a Canary Island beach. Guy made mayday calls. Local Coast Guard responded. Guy was not sure where he was. Rescue Coordination of Spain got involved.

Guy was located. He refused to leave his ship Spirit.

Sprit began moving on its own. Towards the beach. The movement helped save Guy and hopefully will prove to make it possible to save Spirit.

Lifeguards helped Guy off the boat.

I know no more.

Thank God Guy is safe. Hopefully Spirit will be salvageable.

Appears the race is over for Guy.

Oh, what a game it was! Syracuse beat Purdue 32-29. In the final 7 seconds on a 25 yard touchdown pass by Garett Schrader.

Syracuse now 3-0.

Crazy game. Syracuse losing 9-3 at halftime. The second half was a BALL GAME!

The combined score of both teams in the last quarter was 42. Syracuse scored 22, Purdue 20. The scoring was like the last minute of a close basketball game. One touchdown after another. Each team going ahead only to soon fall behind.

Two observations.

I was at the Carrier Dome when it opened in 1981. Private box seating 16, with bar, etc. Spent many happy years there watching football and basketball.

The new Carrier Dome held around 55,000. When Syracuse was playing well, attendance at that or close to that number for football. When playing poorly, attendance 35,000-40,000.

Syracuse is having a good year so far. The new Dome should have been jam packed. Not. Vacant seats observable everywhere. Looked like a 35,000 crowd to me.

Forty plus years ago was when the crowds were as I recall them. Apparently less interest in the games today. Sad.

Vegas and its ability to predict scores amazes me. Syracuse was projected to win by 1.5 points. Won by 3. How does Vegas do it?

A video of a New York City MacDonald’s is running rampant on the internet. The scenario occurred yesterday. A customer went crazy inside swinging an ax.

A black man was attacked orally and physically by several Latinos. The black gent remained cool and covered his head with his arms to protect himself. What led to the situation, I do not know.

Finally, the Latinos walked away. Words were still being exchanged. The black gent went to his duffel bag and pulled out a hand axe.

He threatened, however hit no one. A lot of yelling continued. The axe was used to destroy a lot of MacDonald property.

While physical damage was being done, many were laughing at the gent with the axe. New Yorkers apparently tough people. Only time a person appeared afraid was when he had the axe in that person’s face.

Finally, he got on his bicycle and rode out.

I thought yesterday was going to be a bad one for me. Too much on my plate. Turned out to be nothing. Everything moved smoothly.

My leg and foot massage at 4. Oh, the pain! Is it working? I “think” so. Not sure. Less swelling today. The lady doing me returns today and tomorrow. She claims 3 consecutive days will help considerably. We shall see.

The Los Angeles School District issued a report concerning whether students had met established standards for Math and English during school year 2020-2021. Especially in Math. Only 28 percent met or exceeded the standards. Which meant 72 percent failed to do so.

English was another problem. Only 42 percent met the standards.

School official blamed school lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. The officials stated the results prove there is no substitute for in person instruction.

School officials claim COVID had wiped out decades of progress and it would take a number of years to catch up to pre COVID numbers.

Winston Churchill and the Ukraine’s Zelensky have much in common. Led their countries during the worst of war times.

A quote by Churchill fits Zelensky’s attitude: “Never, never, never give up.”

Enjoy your Sunday!

Since the Mar-a-Lago case broke, I have followed it diligently. Have accumulated a pile of notes. My intent was to write one detailed piece.

Such would be redundant at this point. The media has covered the matter with diligence.

There is one thing I do wish to do however. Such is to express my thoughts re Judge Aileen Cannon.

The jurist qualifies for one of two descriptions. She is either totally incompetent or is playing favorites.

Her errors and miscues are many. Too many. Cover the simplest of federal points. Especially those procedural. She took a federal procedure course in law school. She practiced law in the federal area on occasion. She has been a federal judge for two years. She can’t be that stupid to have made the made legal errors she has.

Which means her errors are intentional. They all favor Trump. He nominated her to the bench. Perhaps she owes a favor. Perhaps he is her god. Perhaps she looks up to him with undying adoration. Perhaps she aspires to a Supreme Court seat and believes Trump may once again be in a position to nominate Justices to that Bench.

Judge Cannon represents one of the many Republican judges Trump nominated to the federal bench. Federalist/MAGA types. He corrupted the system in so doing.

Is their justice to be had in this matter? The Circuit Court has six Republican appointees sitting. Some may hear the appeal(s). The Supreme Court already a lost cause.

The courts were generally the place where justice could be achieved. No more. I am greatly concerned.

Putin is losing his friends. One by one. India’s Prime Minister Modi told Putin face to face yesterday this “is not an era of war.”

Putin met with China’s Xi in February. They were 100 percent joined at the hip following the meeting. Putin met 2 days ago with Xi, the February warmth was not evident.

DeSantis and Abbott are birds of a feather. Both bad guys. Perverted in their thinking and actions.

DeSantis transporting immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard and Abbott doing the same to New York City and Washington, D.C. represents something so un-American it is difficult to precisely label. Kid stuff, not funny, a form of human trafficking?

A reader was quoted in this morning’s Citizens’ Voice: “To use human lives – men, women and children – as a political pawn is evil and inhumane. This state-sponsored stunt is one of the cruelest and heartless things I have seen in my lifetime.”

Words inscribed on the Statue of Liberty are losing their meaning. We must not let it happen. The words should be an integral part of what America is to those seeking refuge. Words that brought my grandparents here: “Give me your poor, / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, / The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. / Send these, the homeless, tempest, tempest-tost to me, / I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”

My congratulations again to Bobby Mongelli on the sale of Geiger Key. What he purchased as a broken down shack selling beer for a pittance in the 1970’s he sold last month for $14.8 million. The sales figure was announced yesterday.

A lifetime of hard work paid off.

I had a bad night. Could not sleep. Don’t know why. Nothing bothering me. Watched old movies on TV all night.

Today full. The blog which I am now doing. A foot and ankle massage to follow. Sloan. The Syracuse/Purdue game. All before 5 pm.

Guaranteed, I will sleep well tonight.

One of the movies was Love Story. Touching. A tear jerker. The novel written in 1970. So popular, it was made into a film the same year. The film starred Ali MacGraw and Ryan O’Neal.

The book was thin. Surprisingly short. Yet hit your heart.

Another great love story in years past was Bridges of Madison County. The novel published in 1992. The movie came out in 1995. Starred Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep.

The two books had a similarity. Both unusually short. Yet touched the hearts of all who read them.

Enjoy your day!

Big announcement! The Noble House Hotel chain has purchased 50 percent of one of Key West’s most elegant hotels and its fine restaurant. The Marquesa.

Noble owns some 30 plus hotels and spas world wide. I have stayed at several and always considered Noble a quality operation. Locally, Noble already owns Ocean Key and Little Palm Island Resort.

One thousand Australian school cafeterias are offering snacks for their students. Snacks containing bugs. Like Australian cockroaches, banded caterpillar parasite wasps, blue ants, Christmas beetles, daddy long leg spiders, and dragonflies.

Parents are furious. Especially since their kids love them. Probably because they’re reported to be delicious.

The bug snacks are healthy. Laced with proteins, vitamins and nutrients.

Bugs are a recommended food source. Famine threatens many parts of the world. Bugs are a food supplement requiring a very small portion of land and water to develop.

Two billion people from 130 countries already are consuming bugs as part of their diets. Thailand being one of the world’s leading consumers.

Iguanas are as much a part of Key West as chickens. In fact, there are significantly more.

Steve Thompson writes about the “Iguana Guy.”

The iguana man was a sight to see. At the bottom of Duval by the big shade tree. Iguanas all over him and I think he knew. He may have been part iguana, too.

A station wagon full of iguanas. And a body covered with tattoos. For a very small amount, he’d take a picture with you.

Queen Elizabeth II’s body lies in state in Westminster Hall. Till Monday. Twenty four hours a day.

The line waiting to pass by her casket is 4.9 miles long. The time to reach the Queen 14 hours.

Three words fit the feelings of those waiting to show their Monarch honor: Love, respect and pride.

Janis Paige was a movie, stage and television star in the 1940’s through 1970’s. Lovely. A talented voice. Most remembered for her role in The Pajama Game.

She graduated high school during World War II. She was “discovered” while helping in a Hollywood Canteen during the war.

Today is her birthday. One hundred years old. Impressive.

She is one of the last of the Stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Happy birthday, Janis! May you continue to be with us for years to come.

History will recall Vladimir Putin as one of the major governmental screw ups of our time. The Ukraine marks his downfall.

He is running out of soldiers. Grabbing 18-60 year olds to fight.

Russia employs a mercenary group. Named Wagner. Wagner is soliciting recruits from Russian prisons.

The deal simple. A get out of jail card available if the prisoner agrees to serve. Following 6 months of duty, the prisoner will receive a pardon. At no time thereafter will he be required to return to prison.

Somewhat like The Dirty Dozen.

Syracuse plays Purdue tomorrow. At Syracuse. Kickoff noon.

Syracuse is 2-0. Purdue 1-1.

Syracuse a 1.5 point favorite.

Enjoy your day!

Just before 6 this morning it was announced a tentative agreement had been reached to avoid a national rail strike. The event would have had a severe impact on the national economy. Especially on food availability and prices.

Biden said, “The tentative agreement reached tonight is an important win for our economy and the American people.”

Equity was with labor in this battle. Sick leave one of the important issues. Would you believe rail workers had no sick leave available to them?

Railroads have experienced big profits in recent years. Last year alone $20 billion. The CEO of CSX made over $20 million, while the CEOs of Union Pacific and Northern Southern made over $14 million each in total compensation.

Terrific paychecks! Again while workers were entitled to a “grand total of zero sick days!”

Armed customers are robbing banks in Lebanon to get their own money.

Lebanon’s banks locked most depositors out of their savings when an economic crisis took hold 3 years ago. As a result, many depositors have been unable to pay basic living expenses.

So they resorted to self help.

What the Lebanese banks did was legal under Lebanese law. What the depositors did, not.

Over the years, I have written several times advising a similar situation exists in the U.S. For real.

When one deposits money in their savings or checking account, title to the money immediately legally passes to the bank. Becomes the bank’s money, not the depositor’s.

The U.S. banks got their lobbyists to convince federal and state legislators to do this. Presidents and Governors signed the legislation into law. The purpose to enable banks to protect their asses. In the event of a severe economic crisis, banks in the U.S. can say to depositors my money, not yours.

Question: Who was protecting the depositors’ asses? Not their elected representatives.

On May 18, 1991, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited the Keys. Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas. They had been in Miami for several days and were traveling from Miami to New Orleans on the Royal Yacht Britannia. A stop over was scheduled for them to visit Fort Jefferson.

The Queen and Prince were greeted by another “Queen.” Wilhelmina Harvey. The moment had an historic relevance to it. Both ladies were already on in their years.

Queen Wilhelmina said the meeting was “one of the most beautiful things that ever happened in my life.”

On this date in 1959, Marilyn Monroe filmed the famous “skirt” scene. She was filmed standing over a sidewalk subway grate when a burst of air blew her white dress skirt up. A famous scene and subsequent photo.

Key West has its own Marilyn Monroe standing over a grate while her skirt blows upward. She has been standing in that position for years in front of the Tropic Cinema Theater. In good taste. She has become an integral part of Key West.

Marilyn was married to baseball Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio at the time. An old school conservative. He was upset that she had agreed to pose with her skirt flying. It was one of the issues in their divorce lawsuit that soon followed.

Gur DeBoer news!

Guy is still in the Golden Globe Race. Its 10th day. Expected to take 7-9 months. Guy doing well. In 4th place.

Participants in the race get to chat for 10 minutes once a week with those in charge of the race. Guy’s 10 minutes were made available to social media.

He had been downstairs doing something. Decided to go up. Fortunate he did. He and an 80 foot fishing boat were heading for each other. Apparently whoever was steering the fishing vessel thought it was funny. Guy recognized a disaster imminent. He rushed to steer his boat away. Gashed his knee in the process. Missed the fishing boat by 15 feet. A close call.

The event occurred tuesday. Guy said his knee was healing well.

Enjoy your day!