I have been in Key West 30 years. The word has always been Stock Island would grow big time some day. Key West was becoming too crowded.

Except for a few new hotels, Stock Island has remained Stock Island. Growth limited to a snail’s pace.

It is all going to change. Actually, the process has already begun.

Bobby Mongelli is a respected restaurateur. Hogfish and Roostica two of his successful Stock Island restaurants.

Mongelli and a group of local investors have received final approval from the State of Florida and Monroe County for one of the world’s largest cruise ports beginning February 2023 on Stock Island.

Mongelli said, “We saw the opportunity and seized the moment…..We will have one of the largest tourist attractions in America…..the largest ships will be able to dock.”

The planned facility will also include a deluxe water pool, high end store fronts, and major restaurant chains.

The planned port will have room to accommodate 14 cruise ships and 42,000 daily tourists.

Go Bobby!

Dinner last night at the Prime Steakhouse. Cathy’s last night in Key West.

Our reservations were at the bar.

Two minutes after being seated, Laurie Thibault walked in. I had not seen her in at least 3 years.

Laurie has become a leading Key West radio personality and continues to appear and manage much of Aqua’s operation.

I had Laurie join us for dinner.

A great time!

Met Jerry at the bar. He has been in Key West 29 years and we never met. Amazing! He lives on a 70 foot boat. Big! Comfortable! I know I have partied and traveled on some. His boat is parked in Key West several months a year.

Dinner was great! The best steak in Key West. Probably the most expensive, also.

I spent the earlier part of the day at the Casa Marina with Cathy. An excellent room. First floor. Balcony/patio opened to the ocean.

I sat on the balcony. Ten minutes later, my legs were burned. I lathered up with sun tan lotion. Legs still blotches of firey red this morning.

Cathy and I had lunch at the beach side restaurant. Spent a long time there. Chatting and picking. A beautiful setting: Sand, sky and water.

Cathy leaves this morning. Stopping by on her way out to say good bye again.

The lobster season ended yesterday. Depending who you talked with, it was either good or mediocre. I suspect it was more on the good side.

The season will reopen for 2 days for recreational lobstering 7/27 and 7/28. The full season opens 8/6.

It was not the catch which was insufficient. The cost to catch had risen cutting into profits. The price of gas and wood had increased. Needed wood traps had increased by $15 a trap.

Overall, several fisherman thought it was the best season since Irma which hit in 2017.

Asian sales were down a bit. The biggest share of the Key West spiny lobster catch is sent to Asian countries. China the biggest purchaser. The down side was not that significant, however.

Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson referred to Mar-a-Lago as Trump’s Elba. Fits!

David Corn of Mother Jones wrote: “Ginnie Thomas is absolutely bonkers…..Justice Clarence Thomas is literally in bed with a conspiracy theory nutter.”

Crazies continue to become a part of Washington. The latest person desiring to move to the Capital and become a member of Congress is Alaska’s Sarah Palin. Palin is the former Republican governor of Alaska and the Republican candidate for Vice-President running with John McCain.

Palin claims the “far left is destroying America.”

I hope her reading material has expanded.

Saved the best for last today. Big time basketball tonight! I love college basketball. The Final Four begins tonight. The last 4 teams remaining alive. Kansas v. Villanova followed by Duke v. North Carolina.

Available on TBS.

I am excited!

I have personally attended 3 Final Fours. This year’s is in New Orleans. One I attended was in New Orleans also. A great town for the Final Four party!

Enjoy your day!

Great evening! Cocktails at 7 in town. Seattle’s Cathy Hokla.

Cathy and I met through this blog. She was an avid reader. We met face to face for the first time when she visited Key West for a month recently.

Cathy lived in Key West in the 1980’s. She can tell excellent stories about the Key West of those years..

She is moving to Florida. For no other reason than she wants to. The Miami area. She has been in Florida the past few days interviewing for a job at two of the universities in Miami.

Can’t be this close without visiting Louis. She is here for 48 hours. My time last night and today.

As you are aware, I rarely go out. Must break the habit. In any event, we ended up at La Te Da for dinner.

It was good to be back. The food was excellent. I stayed with the duck. It was also good to see Chris again. We go back to Antonia’s.

Cathy is staying at the Casa Marina. The room costing here something like a $1,000 a day. Crazy!

We will be spending today together.

I have a new cell phone. My “old one” was 12 years old. It was time.

Visited Verizon. Service was excellent. The manager Brandon Brady took care of me.

Difficult accommodating to a new phone. Three calls to Brandon yesterday afternoon. A 10 o’clock appointment this morning to work out 2 additional problems. Problems caused by my ignorance.

The service was fine.

Sex and drugs. A great combination! Appears some Washington legislators are into it.

Another example of the decay permeating our elected representatives.

North Carolina Congressman Madison Cawthorn spilled the beans. He operates out of a wheel chair due to a recent auto accident.

On a podcast last week, he revealed he had been invited to a sex party by another Congressman who said he and his wife were going. Cocaine would be available.

He declined.

The Republicans are up in arms. Cawthorn is a Republican Congressman. They all say…..not me! Kevin McCarthy appeared on TV for 30 minutes with Cawthorn. McCarthy of course denied his Republican brethren would do sex and drugs. Tried to make Cawthorn say he was wrong.

Cawthorn’s position re withdrawing his statement: “I will never lay down to the mob.”

I recall a time when sexual involvement by a Congressman resulted in his resignation. No more. Deviant sex and drugs ok today.

A fine example for the young of the nation.

Jared Kushner testified before the January 6 Committee yesterday for 7 1/2 hours. Voluntarily. He had little to contribute. He was flying back from Saudi Arabia that day and never went to the White House when he returned.

The Committee nevertheless said his testimony leading up to January 6 was helpful.

Ivanka has agreed to testify, also. No need for a subpoena. Her testimony could be interesting. She was in the room that day where the President watched on TV several times. Even asked her father to issue a statement twice.

I believe the two are wise to testify. Let other heads roll.

The Will Smith/Chris Rock story goes on. Time to put it to rest. Regardless of what Smith does to explain, he comes out of it looking like an ass. Rock on the other hand a person of class.

Rock has declined to prosecute.

Enjoy your day!

We lived for four years worrying Trump might press the nuclear button. Now we are discovering we should have been worried more about Putin.

The whole world is in trouble. Putin is the leader of a major nuclear power. His intelligence system is screwed up. We are being informed that Putin is either being misinformed or not informed about goings on in the Ukraine. His advisers are not speaking truth to power.

Chilling!

Following such revelation, word is being circulated that money was being moved from Russia’s military account to the personal accounts of Russian oligarchs. More than once this morning has the media suggested that millions of rubles from military accounts have most likely paid for the magnificent yachts the oligarchs enjoy.

I bid you a fond adieu. Early morning hospital tests.

This morning’s Key West Citizen has two articles clearly evidencing the love the people of the Keys have for their offshore friends. Their friends being those that reside in the ocean waters.

The two mentioned today are Ranger and Leonardo. Ranger a dolphin, Leonardo a turtle.

Ranger is new to the Dolphin Research Center on Grassy Key. He will enjoy the rest of his life living there.

Ranger was discovered in Texas waters late in June. He was in trouble. A respiratory infection and dehydration. He was discovered near his dead mother.

The Texas State Aquarium Wildlife Research Center for Care rehabilitated Ranger. He was 2 years old when his health was finally restored.

There was a problem. Ranger was too young to forge and survive in the wild. The Dolphin Research Center was selected as the place for Ranger to spend the rest of his life.

Ranger was airplaned to the Dolphin Research Center. His permanent home to be.

At this point, Ranger requires training to survive in the Dolphin Center atmosphere. The Center advises Ranger is now eating like a “champ,” plays with his toys, and is making sounds.

Sounds are important. His beginning to make sounds is an introduction to living with other dolphins at the Center. He is beginning to communicate with the other dolphins.

While training, Ranger lives alone. At some point, Ranger will move in with the other dolphins.

There is the Marathon Turtle Hospital. Today Leonardo will be returned to his ocean home at 1 pm at Sombrero Beach.

Leonardo was rescued last June. He has had tumor removal surgeries, chemotherapy eye drops, antibiotics, fluid treatment, vitamins and a healthy diet of greens and mixed seafood.

Leonardo is ready to go home.

The Food and Drug Administration announced that certain people are now eligible for a second booster shot. People over 50 and those who are immune compromised.

The second booster shot will now be available 4 months following the first. Good for me! Three days ago, it was exactly 4 months since my first booster shot.

Go for it folks! Don’t wait! Don’t be “smart!” Living is better than dying.

Trump’s hole gets deeper and deeper. I suspect it has no ending. Probably runs all the way to China.

Recall Nixon taped all conversations in the Oval Office. No one but he knew. When the taping became evident, the Court ordered it be produced. Nixon complied. He produced all but 18 minutes of the tape. The missing 18 minutes turned out to be the most important part.

Trump has committed a similar act. For a much longer time! Seven hours 37 minutes! Trump known for not doing things in a small way.

The missing 7 hours occurred on January 6. During the time the insurrectionists were attacking the Capitol. During that time, Trump and some compatriots were seated in a room off the Oval Office.

Everyone making telephone calls, texting, etc.

Following what Nixon did re the 18 minutes, laws were passed to make sure all e-mails, texts, telephone calls, etc. were kept in some recorded form. The items became part of a President’s official diary. Included were the White House switchboard call logs,

The seven hours ran from 11:57 am – 6:54 pm.

Poor Donald! It appears he is finding it increasingly difficult to hide/destroy records and get away with it. Recall his complaints that the White House toilets had something wrong with them. They were not flushing properly. Turned out it was official documents Trump was destroying by ripping them up and flushing them down the toilet.

Mar-a-Lago presented a similar problem. Trump illegally had records transported to Mar-a-Lago just before January 20. He tried to destroy them by toilet flushing. The same result as flushing in the White House. Trump complained at the time the Palm Beach sewer system was not functioning properly either.

I do not recall agreeing with Joe Manchin with regard to anything he has done. The man is selfish and self serving.

Now arises an issue where I do agree with Manchin. Cannot believe it!

Biden has proposed an additional tax be imposed on billionaires.

Biden’s plan is for a minimum 20 percent tax rate on households worth $100 million or more. The thorn in the plan is the tax being imposed on the accrued value of unsold investments.

The present law does not tax such monies till the asset is sold. No waiting under Biden’s plan.

Manchin disagrees with Biden’s proposal. I do also and for the same reason as Manchin. Lord forgive me!

Manchin’s argument which I agree with is that the wealthiest would be taxed on “things you don’t have.” In other words, the asset acquired has not yet been sold. The taxpayer has received no profit.

What Manchin is saying and what I agree with is “you might have the profit on paper,” but not in cash.

Makes sense to me. Keep the present plan in place. If Biden wants to increase the tax on the wealthy, he should increase the capital gains tax.

Enjoy your day!

Another Key West friend has moved on. Roger Keast. I received the sad news yesterday from his wife Cheryl.

Roger and Cheryl were Key West snowbirds for many years. I met them when I first purchased a home in Key West close to 30 years ago.

We became “members” of the Chart Room and Square One Restaurant.

Roger a party person. No question about it. Enjoyed life. Wife Cheryl lovely. The dutiful wife. Always attentive to Roger’s needs and made sure he was always the happy camper.

The two originally from Kankakee, Illinois. Roger a top notch electrician. Began an electrical company that grew by leaps and bounds. Today, operated by their sons.

A few years ago, Roger and Cheryl moved from Kankakee and Key West to Cape Coral. We saw less of each other as a result. Their Key West visits significantly fewer.

Though there was a connection that never failed. Cheryl kept in touch via the blog. She loyally read it each day. If the morning went by and I had not published yet, she wrote inquiring where was it, my health, etc.

Whereas Roger made me drink too much, Cheryl made me smile. No blog by noon, Cheryl would write what she described as her “daily fix.” Where was it on such a day?

My condolences Cheryl. You and Roger made a wonderful couple.

I hope you will occasionally visit us in Key West. Hurry! I am much older than Roger. I would not want to miss seeing you again.

A Citizens’ Voice comment this morning: “All over the world places ranging from other cities like Amsterdam and Barcelona to tourist towns like Sonoma, Cape Cod, and the Oregon Coast, are taking concrete steps to limit over-tourism. Here in the Keys, we continue to spend $50 million plus a year advertising for more tourists.”

Oh, how the Keys loved Harry Truman. And he loved the Keys in return, especially Key West.

On this day in 1964, the former President dedicated a bridge at Duck Key which had been named after him.

Spring breakers continue to be a problem in certain Florida locations First it was Miami. Big time problems there! Now, Panama City.

Officials arrested 78 persons and confiscated 75 guns from rampaging spring breakers. Officials called the number and types of guns enough to “arm a small army.”

One non-fatal shooting has occurred. A spring breaker from Alabama the shooter.

Those causing problems were described as “troublemakers.” Referred to as “panamaniacs.”

Officials claimed the group was being orchestrated by specific influencers online.

The Key West Dairy Queen has been a part of Key West for many years. It was already doing business when I arrived 30 years ago.

There are roughly 3,000 stores nationwide. Seventy two percent are owned by Warren Buffett’s holding company Berkshire Hathaway.

I do not believe the Key West one is.

Buffett’s Dairy Queens have launched a burger line. Five different type burgers which will be sold as part of its Dairy Queen operation.

Will Trump ever get indicted? For anythng! He has stepped over the line so oiften that it seems impossible for him not to be.

While the January 6 Committee is working hard, Attorney General Merrick Garland appears to be sitting on his ass. I warned when he was nominated this could happen. Good judges do not necessarily make good prosecutors. Judges take too long to make up their minds and before anything happens must be sure all t’s are crossed and all i’s dotted.

A federal judge may have put Garland on the spot. Sort of a shit or get off the pot thing.

Monday Federal Judge David Carter ruled that former President Trump  had “more likely than not” attempted to illegally obstruct Congress….based on the evidence.”

William Gladstone wrote, “Justice delayed is justice denied.” So true. Especially with regards to Trump’s wrongdoings which seem to take forever to pursue. Makes one wonder is Trump will walk away fre from responsibility for his wrongdoings.

I suspect Judge Cater’s decision will now accelerate matters. Americans want to know what happened, who was responsible, etc.

Two comments in YouTube this morning speak to the problem.

The first “until the words ‘Trump’ and ‘indicted’ for multiple federal crimes appear in the same sentence, I won’t hold my breath.”

The other: “Either everyone is accountable under the law, or no one.”

Washington Post columnist Charles M. Bloom in an article published this morning re Judge Jackson noted that Senate Judiciary Committee hearings for Supreme Court nominees have “long drifted into the realm of inconsequential theater.”

Right on, Bloom!

Tuesday again. Arrives promptly every week. Brings with it my blog talk radio show Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine ths evening. Much to discuss this week.

Sins of many many. You will enjoy my ranting and raving. I get a lot off my chest. www/keywestlou.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

What a night it was! The Oscars and St.Peter’s.

The Academy awards were the best I’ve seen in years. In most instances, light. A lot of laughs.

One incident marred an otherwise perfect evening. Will Smith moving up onto the stage and slapping hard Chris Rock. If Smith’s hand had been a closed fist, Rock would be in a dentist’s chair this morning.

Rock made a comment about Smith’s wife Jada’s lack of hair. I thought it was funny. Her husband did not which is what caused him the slap Rock.

Smith then returned to his seat and loudly yelled not so nice comments at Rock. Including twice “fucking.”

Great language for a show being televised internationally.

Jada suffers from a hair loss problem referred to as Alopecia. Her head appears shaved. Many women attending the Oscars last night had cleanly shaved heads.

Rock made reference to Jada as GI Jane. Such was what Smith found offensive.

Forty minutes later it was announced Smith had won the Award for Best Actor. He cried during his acceptance speech. Not because he had won, but because he felt at his stage in life he had a responsibility to stand up for other people.

Sounded like he had a Divine intercession.

Rock handled the episode well. With class. The gentleman throughout.

A brief tribute to the Godfather was held. Appearing as part thereof were Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro.

Pacino got old! He looked it! Whereas DeNiro looked fantastic. Thin, white haired, tall standing.

How the clock of time affects each of us differently.

Liza Minnelli appeared with Lady Gaga. The years had again taken toll of a great star of yesteryear. Minnelli was confined to a wheel chair, hunched over. Mentally it appeared she was slipping a bit.

Sad.

Lady Gaga treated Minnelli with love and affection. Tenderly best describes the treatment.

It was the end of the road for St. Peter’s. Destroyed by North Carolina 69-49. No competition.

Nevertheless, St. Peter’s will long be remembered in the annals of college basketball. The little guy who came from nowhere to reach the heights of collegiate basketball. Almost winning the whole thing. Came up 3 games short.

St. Peter’s was never in the game. It was apparent early on. St. Peter’s could not make a shot, whether from under the basket or a 3 pointer.

Coaching at North Carolina’s end is what did St.Peter’s in. North Carolina was a foot closer whenever St. Peter’s attempted a shot. Kept St. Peter’s off balance the entire game.

Zellenskyy asked for too much yesterday. More military hardware for one. The Ukraine is already receiving a lot. More is in the works. The United States and other NATO nations have not come up short in this area.

Zellenskyy screwed up when he suggested NATO was scared of Moscow: “NATO is intimidated by Russia.”

He and his people fail to realize a nuclear war must be avoided. As bad as the Ukraine appears today, there would be no Ukraine at all if nuclear weapons were to be used against them. Europe and the U.S. would also be in danger of a Putin inspired nuclear attack.

For the moment, NATO must continue assisting the Ukraine short of inducing a nuclear confrontation. Intimidation has nothing to do with it. The exercise of clear sense and judgment does.

Sidewalk cafes are here to stay.

Key West went to the use of outside tables and chairs initially to protect against coronavirus. The outdoor seating has worked well and from now on will be a regular feature of key West dining.

Enjoy your day!

Trump never quits. He continues to be sue crazy. Uses the courts like he owns them. His frequency of lawsuits definitely abuses the system..

He did it again.

Last week, Trump sued Hillary Clinton, the National Democratic Committee and several top Democrats. He claims they tried to rig the 2016 election by tying his campaign to Russia.

I do not recall whether Hillary and company did or did not. If they did not, they should have. Trump has been in Putin’s back pocket since well before the 2016 election.

The lawsuit does not make sense to me. A suit requires the suing party to have been damaged. Where was Trump damaged? He won the election.

The suit covers purported incidences that happened 5-6 years ago. Most if not all of the suit may be barred by the Statute of Limitations.

Trump may have a venue problem also. Though he sued the case in Florida for his convenience, it may end being tried in Washington, D.C. or New York City for “convenience of witnesses.”

Trump relies on the Mueller Report and Special Counsel Joe Durham’s investigation into the FBI’s 2016 investigation of Trump’s campaign.

An article published the day after suit was instituted claims the the suit “often exaggerates or misstates Durham’s allegations or other facts of the case.”

Trump’s win/loss record in court suits leaves much to be desired. How many has he won? Two or three, while losing well into the 60’s.

I sense this suit will cause his losing numbers to increase by one.

Madeleine Albright died. She was 84.

A distinguished American.

Albright was born in Czechoslovakia. She and her family were required to escape twice. First from the Nazis, then from the Communists.

Albright served as Secretary fo State and Ambassador to the U.N. The first woman to serve in both positions.

She was very much anti-Putin and constantly spoke of him in disparaging terms.

May she rest in peace.

No one can deny Judge Jackson is a strong woman. She was examined by the Judiciary Committee for two days for a total of 22 hours. Not only strong, intelligent also. I was very much impressed with her responses. She has a working legal mind.

The Ukrainian military continues to impress. Last week, it sunk the Russian warship Orsk.

Putin cannot be sleeping well.

Miami continues to operate with a ban on alcohol sales for outside drinking at 6 pm. Its midnight curfew continues also.

A few miles north is Fort Lauderdale. Its spring break crowd is partying with few if any problems thus far.

For what follows, I am sure I am going to be accused of being anti-black. Not so. Merely reporting facts as observed via the internet.

Review internet photos and videos for both cities. Miami’s college visitors are primarily black. Like 99 percent. Very very few whites to be seen. Whereas, Fort Lauderdale’s visitors, the reverse. Primarily whites, with a bit more blacks.

Someone bearing expertise in the area of discrimination should investigate and write an article why such occurred. A cause and effect expose.

St. Peter’s having a hell of a Big Tournament run. Tonight, they meet the University of North Carolina at 5 pm in an Elite Eight game.

St. Peter’s recently beat Purdue to reach this point.

At first St. Peter’s was viewed as a Cinderella team. No longer. They have proven in their last 3 games they belong. A great team. Players and coach alike. Start with 4 guards. Have no really tall man. Well coached.

Whoever heard of St. Peter’s? A small Jesuit University in Jersey City. A student population of 2,300. More female than male.

It would not surprise me if the team won again this evening. St. Peter’s is Final Four material.

A good evening entertainment wise. Following the St. Peter’s game, the Academy Awards.

The price of gasoline in Key West has gone up $.15 per gallon in one week. Now $4.60 a gallon. Took me $60 to fill my small Volkswagen tank yesterday.

On this day in 1954, RCA began producing color TV sets at its Bloomington, Indiana plant.

I saw my first color TV in operation 3 years later in June 1957.

I had graduated from Manhattan College that day. We had a family dinner afterwards at the Stella D’Oro restaurant in the Bronx. Its famous Italian cookie making plant stood behind the restaurant. The restaurant top shelf.

During diner, an excitement ran through the restaurant. Everyone ran to the bar. Color TV!

Thrilling!

I would compare it to how audiences must have felt when they viewed their first talking movie.

Enjoy your Sunday!

The character of the Supreme Court is blemished once again. Respect for the Court further diminished.

The Court’s most recent smear involves the wife of Associate Justice Thomas. Ginni Thomas.

Thomas is the longest sitting Justice at the moment. Well over 25 years. I was not impressed with him when he was nominated. His confirmation hearing bore witness to my questioning of his character.

I believed Anita Hill. Thomas’ emotional ranting that her charges and how the Committee was treating him was a “lynching” did not change my opinion one iota. I saw it as theater and the act of a “dying nominee” to survive.

And survive he did.

To be totally frank, I am compelled to advise I was disappointed in then Senator Biden. He was Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. I thought him condescending of Hill. He treated her as a “woman” was viewed back then. Tolerated her right to appear. Otherwise treated her as a fly on one’s arm. He lightly brushed she and her story aside.

As an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Thomas has not distinguished himself. Appellate judges/justices ask questions. Piercing ones. Such is how they weave what the law should be out of attorneys before them.

Thomas asked extremely few questions his first 25 years on the bench. One or two. One or two over the entire 25 years.

I ascribe his failure to ask questions as an indication he felt insecure in his job. He feared he would look stupid.

He wrote a book several years ago about his judicial career. Everyone said, Oh, what a great Justice he was, a smart learned man. Nothing further from the truth.

From day one, he was a far right conservative Justice. Rarely if ever deviated from the philosophical position.

He was married before becoming a Justice of the Supreme Court. To Ginni Thomas. One of America’s farthest to the right persons. Spoke her mind freely. Speaks her mind freely even to today.

Respect for her by ultraconservative America has grown over the years. Not because she became smarter over the years. Rather bcause of her husband’s position on the Court.

She and the Justice have always taken the position they do not discuss with each other their political views, thoughts on issues, etc. I never believed them. Still do not. Husbands and wives talk about everything, except perhaps their extra marital affairs.

Ginni a strong supporter of Donald Trump. She believes Trump’s lie about the election having been stolen from him. From 10/10/20 to 1/10/21, she and Trump’s Chief of Staff Mark Meadows exchanged 29 texts referable to Trump’s defeat, what should be done, etc.

She texted Meadows that a “rescue” of Trump was needed. She told Meadows that he and other top Republicans should try to overturn the 2020 election.

Ginni offered legal strategies to overturn the election result. Including the use of Attorney Sydney Powell.

Her 10/10/20 text to Meadows: “Help this Great President stand firm, Mark!!!…You are the leader, with him, who is standing for America’s constitutional governance at the precipice. The majority knows Biden and the Left is attempting the greatest Heist of our History.”

Meadows in certain of his texts referred to Trump as the “King of Kings.” He viewed Trump as involved in the fight of “good vs. evil.”

One thing the American people were unaware of till the past 48 hours is that Ginni was present at the January 6 insurrection. When asked, she initially claimed she was present only at Trump’s early morning rally speech. Went home thereafter because it was too cold.

The “too cold” representation again only mentioned once. There is uncertainty whether she was also there when the steps of the Capitol were stormed.

Should Ginni be subpoenaed by the January 6 Committee? I think so. Definitely. Many are already demanding it.

I believe the people also have a right to know what, if any, was her knowledge and pre-planing of January 6. Did she know, what did she know, what was her participation?

Enjoy your day!

Political Washington smells more and more. The odors of the sewers reached Judge Jackson’s Senate confirmation hearing the past 3 days.

The stench to a degree rarely achieved.

The foul mouthed sick minds Senators Hawley, Graham, Cruz, Lee and Blackburn.

It all began in November 2016. A false conspiracy theory was born. In short order, it was believed by 50 percent of Trump’s supporters who still believe the theory today.

The false claim was that high Democrat officials and U.S. restaurants were involved in human trafficking and a child sex ring.

North Carolinian Edgar Maddison bought the theory. He armed himself with an AR-15 and a holster revolver and traveled to the Comet Ping Pong pizza restaurant in Washington. He believed the lies being made. One of which was there was a child sex ring operating out of Comet’s cellar.

He entered Comet, scared everyone out, fired one shot and in due course surrendered to authorities.

He appeared in 2017 before U.S. District Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for sentencing. The same Judge Jackson who has been before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week for confirmation purposes.

She sentenced him to 4 years. The Prosecution had requested 4.5 years.

QAnon picked up on the child sex abuse theory and gave it new life in 2020.

Nothing related thus far came up during this week’s confirmation hearing. Why, I don’t know. Significant to the extent it involved alleged child sex abuse and Judge Jackson. Perhaps because Judge Jackson’s sentence was merely 6 months less than that recommended by the prosecution.

Hawley and Cruz each hope to be the Republican Party candidate for President in 2024. Each wants QAnon’s support. Each groveled for it the past 3 days. Each sold their soul to the company store.

Hawley jumped on 7 child sex porn cases and chastised Jackson for what he considered insufficient sentencing. What he was actually indicating was Jackson was soft on child sex abuse. Nothing further from the truth, of course. Her record as a mother, wife, judge and human being indicate absolutely nothing along those lines.

Hawley was trying to make something out of nothing. Cruz saw the value in it and immediately jumped into the attack. Graham carried it on solely for the purpose it would get his name in print. Lee and Blackburn, I do not understand. Staunch conservatives. However neither has an  ax to grind re the issue nor is seeking the Republican Presidential nod in 2024.

The conduct of the Senators named similar to the witch hunts of the middle ages. Without justification, certain persons were attacked. Jackson was under similar attack this week. The attack senseless and without justification.

The Senators prostituted and prostrated themselves for QAnon support in 2024.

Very very few either in the Republocan Senate or the United States itself support the insanity promulgated by Hawley and Cruz, or the other 3 Senators attempting to besmirch Jackson with their lies.

Media comments not supportive of the Hawley/Cruz attack. Referred to the baseless ramblings as an “unfounded smear….unfair…..last ditch, eve of hearing degenerative attack on her record on sentencing in sexual offense cases…..nauseating…..(and) dishonest.”

To make sure everyone recalls Hawley, he is the the U.S. Senator who as he was climbing the Capitol steps on January 6  raised his fist in solidarity with the protesters.

I sensed color was an issue with certain Senators also. Veiled,  nevertheless there.

Jackson is in the midst of a horrible fight. An unfair one.

I was impressed with Jackson. As I wrote in yesterday’s blog, I have been watching these confirmation hearings since 1960. She is without question the finest and most qualified candidate nominated for the Supreme Court.

My prediction is Jackson will ultimately be confirmed by the full Senate in a very close vote. If not it will be the country’s loss, not hers.

Enjoy your day!

Recall the book and then movie Barbarians at the Gate. Yesterday, I saw demagogues at the gate: Four Republican Senators sitting in judgment on Judge Jackson’s confirmation to the Supreme Court.

Undisciplined animals. Lacking even in basic courtesies. Kill their thrust. Putins unloading on the Ukraine.

On monday, the Republican side assured the hearing would not be a “circus.” On tuesday, the “clown car” rolled in as preliminary questioning began. The demagogues doubled down.

Judge Jackson met the “enemy” from morning to mid evening. She accorded herself well.

The demagogues were Senators Graham,Cruz, Cotton and Hawley.

Their conduct was not helpful to the purpose of the hearing nor to the needs of the United States. They should find another job better suited to their ruthless demeaning attacks. Perhaps as military advisors to Putin.

One Republican Senator impressed me. Senator Sasse. Not an attorney. Nevertheless, he came prepared. He had researched in detail the issues that concerned him.

The exchange between he and Judge Jackson was as two persons  engaged in a pleasant conversation concerning issues they both understood well.

We need more Sasses in the U.S. Senate.

Graham and Cruz’s times in the Senate have passed. They no longer are of value to the country.

Cotton and Hawley are young Turks. Raring to go! Take on all comers! Correctness of their positions immaterial. Attack and destroy their motivations. The Senate can do without their kind.

Discouraging news from the White House. The White House reported yesterday that the U.S. has depleted funds to purchase further vaccines and provide them free to certain members of the public.

The money is available. Congress has it tied up in failing to approve the budget item. Fifteen billion dollars is required.

The $15 billion to pay for second booster shots for those 65 and older. Also to pay the cost of first shots for those under 5 years of age.

All politics. Can’t blame the Republicans alone. Not when some Democrats are blind to the public’s needs.

This day in 2010 will be recorded as one of the most important in U.S. history. On this day, Obama signed into law the Affordable Care Act.

Today noteworthy because of words spoken by Patrick Henry before the Virginia Provincial Convention in 1775: “Give me liberty or give me death!”

Kelenskyy 247 years later.

Two local restaurants recently sold. Shanna Key and Boondocks.

Shanna Key was purchased by local bartender Scottie Jahn and his business partner Joe Donagher. Some remodeling being done. Shanna Key will reopen as Sally O’Brien’s Irish Sports Bar.

Dollar figures not available at this time.

Boondocks. Always worth the drive up U.S. 1. Located just short of Big Pine.

Larry Gardner bought the property in 2001 for $662,500. He enlarged and improved it.

The closing took place December 28. The sales price $10 million. Purchasers Mark Vastaro and Randal Kassewitz. They have announced nothing would change. Boondocks will continue as is.

Key West will have a Catholic high school again.

The previous Catholic high school was operated by The Basilica School of St. Mary’s Star of the Sea. It closed in 1986 due to declining enrollment.

St. Mary’s advises a resurgence in demand for a Catholic high school. It will begin with grades 9 and 10 in 2023.

A significant sports day for Key West. On this day in 1924, the first six holes of the new golf course on Stock Island were opened for play.

Enjoy your day!