If this story does not motivate the unvaccinated to get vaccinated, nothing will.

Those who continue to refuse are smart ass unwise know it alls. I wish there were stronger words to describe them. Perhaps there are. In certain instances, they are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse carrying disease and death.

A California couple died of COVID-19 two weeks apart. Daniel and Davy Macias. Well educated. Daniel a middle school math teacher. Davy a labor and delivery nurse.

Neither vaccinated.

They left 5 children, including a newborn. The children range in age from 3 weeks to 8 years.

Daniel and David spent 18 months prior to their deaths discussing the pros and cons of being vaccinated. They lived cautiously to protect against the virus, except for the vaccination part. Home surfaces were wiped down, each showered after work, had their groceries delivered, etc.

Davy was 7 months pregnant when the baby was delivered. Several doctors involved in the delivery because of her COVID condition. Davy was incubated during the birth process. The baby was delivered Caesarian. Davy never got to meet nor hold her new born. She died immediately following the baby’s removal.

Husband/father David died 2 weeks later. He never saw his newborn son. Only pictures.

The children are presnetly with Daniel’s parents. Daniel’s mother Traci is a retired kindergarten teacher.

Daniel was supposed to name the baby. He never did. The baby remains unnamed. Terri says they are waiting for her “son to name him.” A revelation in the middle of the night?

In the meantime, the family refers to the newborn as “Baby Boy.”

Traci believes Daniel and Davy contacted the virus following a recent family trip to an indoor water park as a last hurrah for the children before returning to school.

Traci says, “We didn’t see it coming. COVID doesn’t discriminate.”

Two educated parents. One in the medical field. Thinking about the feasibility of the vaccine. Parents of 4 with another on the way.

Respectfully, stupid! As a result, five children will grow up without parents. Grandparents will do all that is necessary. Not the same, however. The grandparents are older and though the children are family, the burden heavy for them to carry.

All this could have been avoided had Daniel and Davy been vaccinated.

A recent study reveals 70 percent of unvaccinated Americans will quit their jobs if vaccines are mandated. The mandates will have been put in place by recent OSHA regulations which are being worked into the legal system.

Don’t believe 70 percent will quit. It is bravado talking. The smart ass know it alls.

If not working, what would they do for money? Once the paycheck stops, who will pay for the food, rent/mortgage, gas and electric, water,  and other recurrent living expenses? More touching, new sneaks for the kids.

In most states, if the employee quits, unemployment checks start later than normal. Additionally no one should expect to receive any more stimulus checks. The well is dry as far as new stimulus legislation.

Biden recently signed 2 Executive Orders mandating all federal employees had to be vaccinated. The new Orders do not apply to members of Congress or those who work for Congress and the federal court system.

Before everyone gets upset and starts throwing stones about an issue they are not totally familiar with, let me explain why certain branches of government will not fall under the mandate.

“Branches” is the operative word. There are three branches of government: Executive, Legislative and Judicial. A Biden Executive Order can only cover those working for the Executive branch. Biden by Executive Order does not have the power to set rules for Congress and the Judiciary because of the legal separateness.

It was only a few years ago that Key West was the Florida city with the highest number of bicycle accidents resulting in injury and death. I believe it. Everyone who lives in Key West believes it. Some tourists, perhaps.

Key West is referred to as the Bicycle Capital of the World. Says it all.

The problem lies primarily with tourists. They come down and ride bikes while visiting. Something they have not done in years. Sixty year olds who have not been on a bicycle in 50 years. Families with several little children riding in a line one after another. Many of the children young.

Key West streets are narrow. Traffic heavy. Bicycle accidents inevitable.

I do not know of a solution other than to ban bicycles. It will never float, however.

So why this portion of the blog?

A backpack that deploys airbags to protect bicycle riders has been developed. Electronic sensors detect a bike fall and inflate football style shoulder pads for upper torso protection before the wearer makes impact. It is claimed the backpack lessens the force of impact by up to 80 percent.

The manufacturer is Commute Air Pro 18.

A friend from Iowa telephoned yesterday. He said he read that Hemingway hated his mother. Was it true?

As far as I was concerned, yes.

Throughout his life, Hemingway had female problems. Many believe they were “mother derived.”

I referred my friend to a blog I wrote a few years ago which dealt with the matter in some detail. The blog can be found in Key West Lou 12/8/18 and is titled Hemingway Hated His Mother.

New York City schools fully reopened monday for the first time in 18 months. Certain small parts had been previously opened. However for the most part, the public schools were closed.

The reason I share the reopening is I learned something new. The actual number of students in the New York City School System. It is 1,094,138. The largest school district in the United States.

Not every company pays its employees well. There are examples of those who do, however. Like Amazon for example.

Amazon has had an average $15 per hour wage since 2018. Amazon announced yesterday it will be moving its average wage to $18 per hour. Additionally, Amazon announced it plans to hire another 125,000 warehouse and transportation workers.

That’s not all. Amazon will also be paying a $3,000 bonus to each employee.

Enjoy your day!

Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett in an address this weekend said she was concerned about the public perception of the Supreme Court. She denied it was a partisan institution.

Justice Barrett said, “Justices must be hyper vigilant to make sure they’re not letting personal bias creep into their decisions, since judges are people, too.”

From the time she was nominated by Trump, I have felt she was not qualified to serve on the Supreme Court. Her intellectual prowess does not mean she is without a bias which makes her partisan.

People who lean one way do not know they are so inclined. Their thinking/vision is like a horse wearing blinders. Straight ahead.

Rather than detail step by step my feelings regarding her ability to serve, I am directing you to read 4 prior posts where I made mention of her. They cover her background pretty well: Wives Have To Obey Husband In Everything 9/27/20; The Proud Boys’ President 10/1/20; Hoax Comes Home To Roost 10/2/20; The Dike Is On The Verge of Collapsing 10/15/20.

Merely enter Key West Lou Topic Date.

I very rarely revert you a post already published. Today, I shall be doing it twice. Barrett was first. Now, what I view as a voice from the other side.

There is a comment section to my blog. Some do comment. I hear from all sides of the spectrum. Those that agree with me and those who do not. My readers also comment back and forth with each other. The comments sometime can be harsh.

I recently posted a blog titled Tactless Donald Trump.

“Anonymous” responded.

I am happy to receive comments from everyone. Those that agree with me and those who do not. Commenting is healthy, though sometimes a bit rough.

I am sharing one of the comments received to Tactless Donald Trump. I believe I wrote it 9/12/221.

Anonymous wrote, “No, no! – Donald Trump is the real President of the United States of America and deserves our respect. He definitely has my respect. His commentary on the boxing match was brilliant and seeing the white foreign guy beating the American black guy was a perfect entertainment befitting the holiday. And oh boy, Donald’s prediction about how Joe Biden would have gone down in under 10 seconds was right on. Donald always says it like it is. Thanks Mr. President, you’ll always be the best as far as your true fans are concerned. Best show all day.”

The Taliban are trying hard to show the world they have changed. To a degree willing to be like everyone else.

Time will tell.

Unquestionably, the Taliban have always considered and treated women as second class citizens. Their gender not to be educated.

The Taliban announced that henceforth women can study in gender segregated universities. The classrooms will be segregated.

The ladies will continue to wear Islamic attire.

Assuming sincerity on the part of the Talibans, I view this as a major step forward re women. Keep in mind the U.S. was slow in recognizing the right and need to educate its women.

Very few females were admitted to college in the first half of the 19th century. The doors opened rather dramatically in the second half of the century. Women were permitted to go to college. Their own. No mixture of the sexes. The following were born: Vassar, Wellesley, Smith, Bryn Mawr, Radcliffe and Barnard.

Women moved ahead rapidly in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Since those years, women have annually surpassed men in receiving Bachelor and Masters Degrees. Since 2005, they have exceeded men in the number graduating as medical doctors.

I entered law school in 1957. There were two women in my class. Today, there are more female law graduates than male.

The issue re the Talibans is whether they are sincere. Will the higher education of women be a forever thing or will the Taliban revert to their old ways?

A sad story. A reflection of where we are regarding medical services today. A problem contributed to by the COVID-19 virus itself and those who refuse to be vaccinated. I believe the problem has been acerbated by those who refuse to be vaccinated.

Alabama has been for a month or more in deep trouble re the virus. Hospitals filled. No ICU beds  available. Those afflicted with coronavirus or other ICU required attention are being sent to other cities and states if ICU beds are available in those places.

The Washington Post on 9/11  reported Ray DeMonia, an Alabama resident, had a heart attack and required ICU care. His local hospital had no room. Forty three hospitals in a 200 mile radius were contacted also. No beds available.

He died. Died because an ICU bed was not available.

Most of the beds in the hospitals contacted had COVID patients. I wonder how many had not been vaccinated.

As I age, I become a bit forgetful. However there are somethings that should never be forgotten. Like Irma. Hurricane Irma hit 4 years ago on 9/10/20. Impacted me. An experience. Compelled me to write the book Irma and Me.

I forgot Irma this year.

Apologies not required except to Jean and Joe Thornton and those who escaped to their home in Birmingham for more than a week. I apologize to my hosts and the others Jean and Joe took in. I shall never forget Irma, itself. More importantly, the happy party time we experienced each and every day at Jean and Joe’s.

Hard times can be good times.

Enjoy your day!

9/11 is never a day like all days. It is a special time for recollection and mourning.

It was the same yesterday. The services were touching. Heart wrenching on occasion. It was difficult not to shed a tear or two.

Former Presidents Bush, Clinton and Obama were at certain locations. Biden at two.

Absent was Trump. To be expected. Perhaps he thought he would feel uncomfortable in the company of former Presidents who were genuine leaders.

Trump’s personality and disposition decidedly would not have fit.

So Trump visited a New York City police station in the morning. Then flew to the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida. To announce at what was described as a “major fight card.”

Fifty eight year old Evander Holyfield was the star attraction. The winner of the heavyweight title four times last fought 10 years ago. The time factor done him in. He lost on a TKO in the first round.

Trump’s appearance at the fight reflected his total lack of tact. The man is tasteless. No respect for 9/11 and the almost 3,000 who died.

Tactless is to be rude (without manners) or inept (without finesse). People with tact are polite and respectful, tactless people the opposite. Rude and ill mannered.

Trump is aware he is different. Tactless merely one of his different traits. He lacked the courage to appear and stand with former Presidents. Thus reflecting his cowardly leanings.

Fantastic tennis yesterday afternoon. The finals of the Women’s U.S. Open.

Two teenagers playing. Extremely unusual.They fought hard. Eighteen year old Emma Raducanu won 6-4 and 6-3.

Nineteen year old Leylaw Fernandez the loser. However the match was not as one sided as the score might reflect. Close and hard fought throughout.

Pope Francis fears not. He walks with God.

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban is a political strongman. He is Europe’s Donald Trump. “Rules” with the same “qualities” as Trump did.

Francis met with him face to face while addressing a crowd. Francis warned re the “risk of proclaiming a false Messianism, one of human origin, not from God.”

New York’s Lewis County is located in the northern part of the state. Good skiing country in the winter.

Its capital is Lowville. A small rural community. Country folk.

Lewis County adjoins Oneida County located to its south. Oneida County was my home county . Born, raised and practice law there before retiring to Key West.

There is a well known Key Wester who originated from or very near to Lewis County. Chris Rounds, owner of La Te Da.

I tried many cases in the Lewis County Courthouse.

Lewis County General Hospital is the area’s medical center.

The Hospital’s administrator announced friday that effective September 24, the Hospital would no longer deliver babies. The nursing staff is in revolt. They refuse/oppose New York State’s vaccination mandate for medical personnel which goes into effect September 27. The nurses resigned en masse.

It will be back to mid wives or a 50 mile drive to Syracuse or Utica for hospital deliveries.

One hundred sixty five nurses have yet to finalize their decisions to leave or stay.

The tragedy could be a permanent one. The Hospital fears the state will close down certain of the services it offers. It has asked the state to view the problem as a “maternity pause.”

Syracuse, my Syracuse! When will we return to football glory?

Syracuse won its first game last weak. I sensed hope. Yesterday, Rutgers defeated Syracuse 17-7.

I am not a happy camper!

Enjoy your Sunday!

The practice of law is a business also. Once a year I would bring together at one meeting the bankers, CPA’s, pension people, health program operatives, and one or two others who at the moment might have something of value to share.

I knew where we stood. Each in his own field knew where we stood. However, I was of the opinion that such a meeting provided something others might not have been aware of.

Something that would be beneficial to my operation if known to the others.

The meeting was scheduled for the morning of 9/11/2001.

I knew going into the meeting how good the firm was doing. It was our best year thus far. Cash flow excellent.

During the meeting, a telephone call was put through that was reportedly “important.” A client. He said know you’re busy, turn on the TV.

My private lounge was next to my office. I went in and turned on the TV. Immediately told everyone else to come in.

Tower One was burning.

A sad day for America. A shocking one, also. Who would dare to do this to the U.S.?

Later that day, my Congressman Sherry Boehlert telephoned. His message, “The world has changed.” I did not anticipate at the moment how much it would.

There was a personal impact to the firm. The firm customarily  represented corporations. Big ones outside of Utica. National and international. The nature of our work.

They all stopped paying their legal fees. Everyone!

Which meant that within a week, the well ran dry. We did not receive anther payment check for 4 months. Our clients were holding on to their money, not knowing what was to happen next.

A smart business move on their part. Poor for us that were doing legal work for them. The cases received prior to 9/11 had to be continued. The courts wait for no attorney to be paid. Our clients depended on us to continue protecting their interests. They continued sending new work.

It took about 9 months for  cash flow to return to normal. In the meantime, I still had overhead. Especially payroll. I used some personal funds and then had the bank  finance the delays in payment.

You might wonder why I would have us work for nothing for a period of time. The reason simple. Over the years, I had assembled a number of excellent clients. Big time work. Significant fees. I was not going to lose one of them. I was confident at some point everything would return to normal.

I watched the 9/11 ceremonies for a while this morning. Sad! Twenty years has not lessened the pain of survivors and the families of those who did not survive.

Larry Elder is Donald Trump in disguise.

He has launched a voter fraud website. Ahead of the recall election!

He and Trump are birds of a feather. Elder is following the standard set by Trump re voter fraud claims.

Joke of jokes. Elder has named the website: The Integrity Board.

GOP governors continue to reject vaccine mandates. The governors are speaking in volume that they will not respect any rules, laws, orders which Biden announced would be coming.

I find their positions amusing. Note that as Trump is diminishing in popularity, so too will the governors. Voters will leave them in droves.

Everyone, person or organization, has someone they are required to answer to. Except one. The courts. They have a useless system of governing themselves with which most  lack familiarity. They govern themselves.

Judges after a passage of time become power crazy. Yes, there are appellate courts. However, they too are becoming out of control. As the Supreme Court is. Who as a practical matter oversees the Supreme Court?

The court system has changed. A detailed review is called for.

DeSantis’ ban on school mask mandates recently came before a Leon County Judge. He ordered the immediate lifting on DeSantis’ ban on school mask mandates until an appeal could be heard. This would include also whether school board members would be paid.

The Judge’s decision rang out in words of wisdom: “We are not in normal times. We are in a pandemic. We have children that cannot be protected by vaccination. Children are at risk and they provide at least some protection by masking.”

An appellate court has overruled the thrust of the County Judge’s decision. At least temporarily. One judge of that court ordered a return to DeSantis’ decision until the full appellate court hears and rules on the case.

When? Next week?A month? Six months? The children are already back in school.  In the meantime, more children will be infected and die.

An underlying problem is also rising to the surface. My mention of the courts again. They are increasingly judging on the side of politics over public health. The present Supreme Court ruling in the Texas abortion law case an example.

A bit of Key West updating.

A comment in this morning’s Citizens’ Voice: “Key West is suffering from over tourism.” No question about it.

Fantasy Fest cancellations continue

First the parade and street fair. Now Goombay, the Zombie Bike Ride, the Headdress Ball, and Pet Masquerade.

Hanging out there awaiting decision is the Local’s Parade. A fun time event. Costume garbed thousands walk the streets of Key West. Crowded together. Drinking.

A popular event. One of the most famous and loved.

Should be canceled! No screwing around. From a virus infection perspective, just as bad as the parade itself.

An example of the less and less factor in governmental truth involves former Florida Governor and now U.S. Senator Rick Scott. It was reported this week that when he was Governor, he forbade state employees from saying or writing “climate change” or “global warming.”

Now comes this summer. Hurricanes, floods and fires.

Someone should ask his position on climate change and global warming today.

Truth in government is becoming a lost virtue. No, it has become.

Why is Donald Trump announcing/commenting at the Evander Holyfield v. Vitor Belfort fight tonight?

Two answers. First, he needs the money. Second, evidencing he lacks empathy for 9/11.

Another question. Holyfield is 58 years old. Does he need the money too?

Enjoy your day!

Opening: Comcast was down yesterday from 10 am till early evening. No way to get the blog done. TV down also. A horrible day without the computer and television.

Irma was a disaster. Wrought of a hurricane. Earlier this week, Acapulco suffered a 7.4 earthquake. Another natural disaster. Reminded me of an earthquake that happened some 30 years ago when my former wife and I were vacationing in Acapulco.

We were staying at the Acapulco Princess. A lovely resort. Its main building a huge pyramid. One or two other high rises nearby.

Everything about the Princess was top shelf. Inside and out. The grounds especially beautiful.

The Princess was constructed where the first Tarzan movies were filmed. The Johnny Weissmuller ones. In those first movies, there apparently was a series of ponds. Starting at the top, each fell into the pond below. Around 8 ponds. The distance between 5 feet. One could slide down all the ponds. The rock beds created were constructed for the sliding.

My wife and I were sitting on a rock in one of the ponds. The water chest high. Behind us, a 30 foot wide path where tourists and guests were walking. Behind them, one of the high rise buildings.

All of a sudden, the rock I was sitting on moved. How far? Who knows! I experienced what I thought was a 4-5 inch movement to the left and then a return of the same distance to where it originally was situated.

An eerie feeling.

I looked at my wife. Whispered, “The rock moved.” She nodded her head in agreement.

I looked at the people walking along the path between the ponds and tall hotel building. My concern was the building would topple over us.

Nothing happened.

The people walking kept walking. Nothing appeared to hae bothered them.

I told my wife not to say anything to anyone. They would think we were crazy saying the rock moved. There was also a language problem.

We had dinner that night in one of he resort restaurants with a Connecticut couple we had met at the resort. The wife asked what we thought of the earthquake? Before we could respond, she went on to say they were downtown when the road suddenly opened. A car fell into the opening. Totally.

She advised the earthquake had been a 6.4.

We then shared our story and all had a laugh.

This week’s 7.0 earthquake experienced more than 150 after shocks.

My wife and I experienced no aftershocks in the earthquake 30 years earlier. We were up in our room in bed with the sheet drawn over our heads.

Not really.

A serious and unusual operation took place this week at the  Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, Israel. Twin boys were born conjoined at the back of their heads. They were now one year old. Surgery recommended. Life apparently is not long for those so attached. The twins had to wait till they were one years old to survive the surgery and then the operation had to be done post haste.

A team of 50 participated in the 12 hour surgery. All kinds of medical specialists. Neuro surgeons, plastic surgery experts, experts in pediatric intersive care, and brain imaging experts. Two experts from New York and London were included in the team. Both had experience with such operations.

The twins are expected to make a full recovery.

Following surgery, the babies were placed in the same crib. Back to back. They would not stop crying. One of the twins was turned around. They wee now facing each other. The twins immediately stopped crying and smiled at each other. Remember, they were already one year old at the time of the surgery.

Twins are strange. I have two male grandsons. Now adults pushing 30. I can recall many instances in their lives where they did or reacted to things at the same time as if they were of one mind.

The twins are beautiful! Soon to be terrors. They are late to crawling, climbing and walking. Imagine the joy and havoc they will be a part of in the coming months.

The surgery involved is extremely rare. Fifty twins are born each year cojoined at the head. Only 15 survive more than 30 days.

I cannot tell you the sex of the twins. I read the several articles published during the week. Not one mentioned boys, girls, or a boy and girl.

Ed Sullivan could make or break a rising show person. To be granted an appearance on his show meant success.

Elvis Presley appeared 3 times on the Sullivan show. A one hour TV sunday night event. Most of the nation tuned into Ed Sullivan.

Pressley singing involved hip gyrations. Big time. Considered by many to be sensual.

Sullivan would not permit Presley’s hip action to be televised. The cameras on Presley all began at his waist line and moved up.

The second and third shows were all of Presley. From the tips of his shoes to the top of his head. Sullivan had given in.

I recall watching the first show on TV. I was a senior in high school. Everyone watched Ed Sullivan back hen. I watched it with my parents.

“Bum Farto where are you?”

Farto a famous Key Wester. A man of ill repute.

Farto was Key West Fire Chief and pimp. Drove a big green car decorated in brass to look like gold. Drove the ladies around occasionally to where ever their next call was. He was a bootlegger and drug dealer. Brought drugs in from Havana.

All good things come to an end. Bum was indicted with 17 other persons in federal court on drug charges. Yesterday was the day in 1975 that Farto was arrested by federal agents following a lengthy investigation.

Farto was tried in Miami federal court and convicted. He disappeared the day he left his Key West home to dive to Miami for sentencing. Never to be heard from since.

We learn more and more about Ivermectin, the drug generally used to to deworm horses and cows. It is used to treat some human ailments. Must be done with caution. The CDC advises it is of no help in retiring coronavirus.

Came across a a short but interesting article yesterday. Three separate studies were done in Nigeria. Apparently men ingest Ivermectin for a number of reasons there.

The three  studies found 85 percent of the men were sterilized by Ivermectin’s use.

Not a strong recommendation for the drug’s use!

Tampa and Dallas played this week. Tampa won by 2 points 31-29.

It was a typical Tom Brady game. With 83 seconds left, Dallas was ahead by one point after scoring a 3 pointer.

Brady and his offensive team went in. It took all of 82 seconds for Brady to show his stuff. He moved the ball 57 yards to a point where a field goal could be kicked.

The field goal was good. Tampa won by 2 points.

I could not help but think that’s what Brady is payed to do. Amazing. In his 40’s and still doing it.

Syracuse plays Rutgers tomorrow afternoon. First home game for Syracuse in the relatively new Carrier Dome.

Syracuse beat Ohio 29-9 in last week’s opener. Rutgers won also. Blew out Temple 61-14.

Syracuse a 2.5 point underdog.

The game will be televised on ESPN.

Enjoy your day!

Merrick Garland has had a distinguished career. First as the lead investigator in securing the conviction of the Oklahoma City bomber 25 years ago. Followed by 20 yeas as a federal appellate judge.

Now he is Attorney General. Only a few months. Time waits for no man, however. As Biden’s plate is full, so is Garland’s.

He has to move his ass. He is working too slowly. His decision making is that of a judge. Deliberate and analytical. Yes or no must be answered with clarity when a judge. A prosecutor has a more leeway.

Three things are not getting the attention they deserve. Some the Justice Department not even involved in, though they should be. The three are the new Texas voting law, the new Texas abortion law, and the January 6 investigation.

The January 6 investigation needs the power of the FBI in directing the investigation, issuing subpoenas, etc. Not to the say the House will not do a good job. However the House can be played with politically during the course of its investigation. The FBI not.

Subpoenas would have already been issued. Doors knocked on at 5 in the morning with court orders for records, etc.

Speed is demanded in the three matters specified. Perhaps in others also.

I had a concern when Biden nominated Garland to be Attorney Justice. I shared it in my blog titled Morning Stew #48 published May 13, 2021. The comment short. I repeat it in its entirety. My concern today similar as back then.

“Merrick Garland was confirmed by the Senate Judiciary Committee this past week for the position of Attorney General. The Senate will confirm him, if it has not already done so.

Garland has been touted as ‘best’ for the job for two reasons.

First, he headed the Oklahoma investigation 25 years ago. Second, he has been a respected federal judge for more tan 20 years.

Both experiences qualifying on their faces. However, I question such.

Twenty five years is a long time ago. No one can tell whether he is as good investigating wise today as he was then. A good judge does not necessarily make a good prosecutor. Especially after 20 years as a judge. The mind changes. In some instances, the drive also.

I hope Garland does well and I wish him well. However, he causes me concern.”

When I began reading Texas Governor Abbott’s comments re the new abortion law he signed yesterday, his “rape” comments hit me hard. Right between the eyes.

How was he to get around the rape issue?

The thought was immediately followed with what about “incest.’ OK to permit a rape impregnation to be dealt with, but what of the incest situation for example where a father impregnates his daughter?

I thought further the child probably would not mention the act(s) to the mother. She would be on the way to developing a belly before the pregnancy was discovered. Too late to meet the 6 week requirement.

As I read further, I saw Abbott and I were not on the same page.

Abbott stated at the signing that the new law did not force victims of rape to give birth and he vowed to “eliminate all rapists.”

Sounded good. As far as it went. Ranked of sheer stupidity and non understanding of the problem with the words that followed: Rape not a problem because the law “provides at least six weeks for a person to get an abortion…..There are services available to support victims of rape in the state to make sure that anybody who’s victimized will get the support they need.”

Texas is in deep trouble with Abbott and his type leadership.

Children increasingly are becoming infected with coronavirus. Failure to be vaccinated the primary cause.

Unvaccinated teens are being hospitalized at a rate 210 times higher than vaccinated ones.

The report the result of a 14 state study running from 7/20-8/31.

I am still tired. Waiting for blood results that will be available tomorrow afternoon.

Enjoy your day!

Age does have its problems. The older I get, the better I live. I watch myself meticulously. Never the less, I get sick.

My pancreas acting up again. The morning spent seeing doctor and tests. Another later this afternoon.

Ergo, no blog today. Nor will there be a blog talk radio show tonight.

I began researching today’s blog at 6 this morning. Assumed I would run to the doctor and return to finish. Not the case. I am shot.

Dr. Louis says not serious. Everyone being cautious.

Enjoy your day! I plan on spending the rest of mine in bed watching TV

Women have been second class citizens in the United States from time immemorial. White women included. Color has nothing to do with it.

Female progress has been slow. Even today, professionally, politically, socially, and in every objective way. Such observation is not a matter of opinion. Rather, it is based on facts of systemic sexism historically and currently.

Examples of past historical and current sexism are many. Many colleges did not permit admission to women till the mid 1900’s or later. Harvard Law School did not accept women till 1950. Pregnant women could be discriminated against in the work place till the 1970’s. The GI Bill of Rights discriminated against women. The Constitution and 1965 Civil Rights Act did not provide women with equal rights.

A second class citizen is generally defined as “a person belonging to a social or political group whose rights and opportunities are inferior to those of the dominant group in a society.”

Women fit the definition perfectly. Women are paid less. They make up a tiny fraction of executives, CEOs, board members or leaders of companies. Certain countries have had one or more Presidents or Prime Ministers. U.S. still at the zero mark. Women are not given the same opportunities in the technology fields.

Information provided in previous paragraphs are based on “objective facts.”

Women have been exploited sexually in order to get ahead. They have been compelled to do things in order to gain promotions or to keep their jobs.

Now comes Texas.

Recall Giant. The Texas movie starring Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor. A perfect example of the subservient position of Texan women.

Giant covered several decades. A tune that popped up at various parts of the movie began with “The eyes of Texas are up you…..” A slightly different version today would be “The eyes of America are upon you…..”

Though women have been subservient to some degree way back to Biblical times, Donald Trump gave it an implied consent with his three nominations to the Supreme Court.

Regardless of the historical time, men have a tendency to come after women like the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Why? Hard to understand, How great must be their fear of the female sex. The men cowards all.

Women and families are directly affected by the Texas law. It pits citizen against citizen by providing enforcement only by private citizens.

Now businesses will be formed. Vigilante types. Bounty hunters. At $10,000 a crack, why not. Business and non-business persons will become “peeping toms.” The profit incentive a great one.

Bounty hunters will in effect be the creation of an extra-judicial enforcement arm doing the dirty work the Texas GOP knows would otherwise be unconstitutional.

Can you imagine? The new law “deputizes” citizens against women. Shocking on its face!

Present day Republicans are on a large scale political mission: To turn Americans against each other, to provoke political violence and to encourage mob rule, provided it’s their mob.

The new law an act the Taliban would approve. Enforcement will smack of the Maoist Cultural Revolution which turned China’s citizens against each other.

Understand what the Texas law says: Any member of the public has “legal standing” to control a woman’s body. Amazing! I cannot think of any law that permits a woman to control a man’s body. Obviously the new law not a what’s good for the goose is good for the gander situation.

Everything proceeding while the Supreme Court “stands mute.”

There is a further implication. The new law will spread to other Republican controlled states. Roe v. Wade is in trouble.

An interesting observation. Who is the initial cause of the problem giving rise to the need for abortion laws. Men! Without them, there can be no conception. Men are at the root of unwanted pregnancies. Men do the dirty deed and women pay for it.

The Supreme Court has abandoned 50 percent of the electorate be declaring women second class citizens when it comes to the most personal of rights: Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

White men will pay. Women will “come marching home”at the ballot box next year. So I assume. I cannot see how they could do otherwise.

Ladies of Texas, the eyes of America are on you.

There is another way women can push their men to somehow change the law sooner. Cut them off off from sex. Let them know it is your way or the highway!

Enjoy your day!

So many words suited to describing Texas. All negative. Deplorable, selfish, hateful, non-caring. More, however more not required. The actions of the majority of Texans speak for themselves.

Two recent laws bear evidence: Those dealing with voting and anti-abortion. Type of laws that divide a state, a people, and eventually a nation. At a time we cannot handle any further division.

From my perspective, Texas is a state evenly divide. Fifty / fifty. Actually not. A few more Republicans than Democrats. However close enough to be considered evenly divided.

Such being the case, I have come to the conclusion that Texas is representative of today’s America.

Rotten to the core.

Another conclusion arrived at is the Republican faction is becoming like the Taliban. They have no redeeming quality.

Syracuse won last night! Beat Ohio decisively 29-9. A start. Hopefully the team can keep it going.

Enjoy your day!

A Big Pine story. A miniature pet goat named Billy Bob Thornton. Knee high. Four years old.

A homeless drunk stole Billy Bob. His owner notified the Sheriff’s Department. A Deputy found Billy Bob and the thief asleep on the grass next to a bicycle.

Billy Bob’s owner opted not to have the drunk arrested. She knew him. He knew her and Billy Joe. He had done odd jobs for her the past 10 years.

One problem. Billy Bob was drunk when he was returned home: “His eyes were so dilated…..They didn’t look normal at all.” Billy Bob was a “little tipsy.”

The drunk had fed Billy Bob beer during their time together.

Political insanity continues to prevail in Florida. Especially with friends of Governor DeSantis and drugs to treat coronavirus.

Neil Combee is a Polk County Commissioner. It appears a friend of Governor DeSantis. He sent a letter to DeSantis recommending that Ivermectin be made widely available. Ivermectin the dewormer given to horses and cows. In recent weeks, it has become widely known as a drug to fight COVID infections in humans.

Amazing! The people on the the Ivermectin kick are generally those who refuse to be vaccinated.

The Commissioner wrote, “We’re hearing from many of our citizens that larger hospital chains and some pharmacies are refusing to prescribe…..When a citizen is facing a potentially life-threatening case of COVID-19, he or she should receive the right to try potentially life saving” ivermectin.

A hocus pocus situation. Involves Governor DeSantis. I wrote yesterday about Florida fudging/manipulating death statistics to make Florida’s number of deaths appear significantly lower than they were.

This morning’s Citizens’ Voice referred to Florida’s recording of COVID deaths by the use of the new collection procedure. The procedure withholds data of death figures until death certificates are processed weeks later – the result is a downward slope re deaths reported.

An inquiry on Redditt this morning.  A Florida resident wrote. He has lived in Florida 26 years, but never made it to Key West. He is planning a soon to occur Key West trip.

His question: “But I don’t want to do and see the usual stuff. I want to see the weird and macab! Spooky sightseeing and curio shops, anyone got recommendations?”

My friend, I have been a Key Wester for close to 30 years. Everything is “odd.” The island is small. Only 1.5 x 4.0 miles. Come down and let your feet discover what you seek. Every block can be a surprise!

Hurricane Larry. Already a Category 3. However still way out in the Atlantic. Doubt it will even come close to the Keys. For that matter, anywhere near the U.S. coast line. It has been turning northwest.

Hurricane season nowhere close to being over. November 30 the date. And even then, we have had a storm or two into early December.

Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh did not impress me when he was nominated by Trump, during his time before the Senate Committee, and since he has been on the bench. Not a straight shooter. Throws an oddball comment into many decisions. Not the way appellate judging is done.

I feel the same about Trump’s 2 other nominees Gorsuch and Barrett. Their problem is they are too far to the right. Their decisions not in the best interests of the needy and lower economic class.

My thoughts concern Kavanaugh today.

He brings what I would describe as the traits of a political hack to the bench. He may rule one way today. Yet keep the door open to rule the opposite down the road if it helps the impression he wants the public to have of him.

Kavanaugh was one of the 5 deciding Justices in the recent Texas abortion case. Decided last week. Decision came down just before midnight. The decision banning abortions once the fetus’ heart beat could be heard. Generally around 6 weeks. Most women do not even know they are pregnant the first 6 weeks.

Kavanaugh by his vote announced to the world he was anti abortion. Something we already knew.

Some believe Kavanaugh will in the near future be faced with the specific issue as to whether Roe v. Wade itself should be reversed. He wants to be in the position at that time to “reaffirm” Roe.

Such would place him on both sides of the fence. Re the Texas decision, anti abortion. Upholding Rose, pro abortion.

The indication suggests he wants to be in good standing with those on each side of the issue.

The way of a politician, not a judge.

I find Kavanaugh’s motivation process amusing. He is a Supreme Court Justice for life. Never has to run for the seat. He is only 56 years old. His job good for another 30-40 years.

Why is he concerned about keeping both sides happy?

I can remember when everyone smoked. Cigarettes, not pot.

Wherever you were, the smoke was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Then we became aware smoking was not healthy. Most eventually stopped.

Lets take a step back in time. World War II. Smoking still considered OK. I can recall advertisements saying 3 out of 4 doctors smoke Camels. Doctors smoked in their offices while treating you. Medical staff and patients were permitted to smoke in the hospital and their rooms.

During World War II, our fighting men smoked. The government even supplied them with free cigarettes. Pilots smoked while in battle.

Hard to believe!

I came across an interesting story the other day involving smoking and World War II.

A young man wanted to enlist. His goal to be a flyer.

He could not pass the physical. Low blood pressure. He complained to the doctor examining him. He wanted to fight for his country. Everyone wanted to back then.

The doctor told him to go outside and smoke a cigarette. Return when he was done.

He came back. The doctor took his blood pressure again. It had gone up sufficient for him to pass the physical.

The young man became an Air Force officer and a B-17 navigator flying combat missions over Germany.

Syracuse’s football season opens tonight. Syracuse playing Ohio. Both teams appear to be of similar quality. Either team is favored by 7 points.

Hope Syracuse has a winning season. The last few have been disastrous. If my recollection is correct, Syracuse won only 1 game last year.

I recall my Syracuse years in the late 1950’s. Glorious football seasons! Ernie Davis time. For many years thereafter, Syracuse was one of the top teams in the country. Then it all died! For many years now!

The game begins at 7.

Enjoy your day!