Key West bar owners have asked the City Commission to allow bar seating.

Pure insanity! Absolutely NO!

The only way coronavirus is going to be defeated is to follow the rules to keep the numbers down till a vaccine is available. Does that mean bar seating has to wait forever. No. However, till there are next to no new cases in the Key West area.

This move for bar seating is by bar and strip club owners.

The problem is a U.S. one. Americans don’t want to give up pleasures such as bar seating. We are a selfish society. Other countries did not mind. And most have basically resolved the virus problem. To a point where manageable.

Take New Zealand for example. Killed the problem! Went 3 1/2 months without any new cases. Then 4 in one day. The next day the number up to 17.

New Zealand immediately opened quarantine camps. Not only does the afflicted person go into the camp, his personal family also. Harsh, but makes sense. New Zealand’s President said we are not going back.

The bar owners had 2 other nonsensical requests.

The tourism council be asked to launch an advertising campaign targeting visitors who can reach Key West in a day’s drive. That would include as far north as North Carolina.

In addition, the bar owners want local residents to welcome returning tourists with appreciation and hospitality, rather than deriding them as contributing to the spread of coronavirus.

Make sense? To me reflects selfishness, also. The bar owners concern is money, not the health of employees, patrons and Key West residents.

Word is the City Commission favors the bar seating move and will vote approval for it at the Commission’s 9/1 meeting.

Too bad the local election has passed. Only 2 weeks ago. Those elected might not have had won had their position on the issues been known.

I voted for Mayor Johnston who was reelected decisively. I would not have had I known her position and that she would be giving in to the desires of the bar and strip club owners. There are far more residents than bar owners in Key West.

Another local move I believe should not be at this time. The School Board has decided to reopen the schools. The openings will be on a phased in approach beginning 9/8 and ending 9/14.

Consideration will be given to those whose parents or the children themselves who might not want to return. No child or teacher will be forced to return. Virtual teaching will be continued.

Universities seem to be opening for 1 or 2 weeks and then closing because of coronavirus surges. I may be crazy. However, my gut feeling is surges are going to occur in our local schools.

Why are our children being placed in danger?

There is a time for everything. This is not the time for the schools nor the bar seating problem to be addressee other than in a negative fashion.

The result of doing things wrong is sickness and perhaps death.

U.S. deaths now 180,000.

There has been a surge of new cases in the Midwest. Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

One reason South Dakota’s numbers are up is the result of the massive annual motorcycle rally in Sturgis 8/7 – 8/16.

Key West had the wisdom to close down Fantasy Fest for this year. Sturgis did not have the same gumption.

Andrew Cuomo handled the coronavirus pandemic well in New York State. He got it beat. Infection numbers are now under 1. Something like .06.

He is a hard ass. Not afraid to do what has to be done.

He is dealing with the college/university problem at the moment. He has warned that colleges and universities in New York State will have to stop in-person classes and switch to remote learning temporarily if coronavirus cases rise above 100 or a number equal to 5 percent of their on-campus population of students and faculty.

Cuomo said he refuses to return to where New York once was.

A leader! An unafraid politician!

Unemployed numbers keep going up.

One million more Americans filed jobless claims this past week.

Last week represented the 22nd out of 23 weeks that jobless claims have reached or exceeded one million.

Experts believe the worst is yet to come. Many believe September will find an upsurge in those not being able to make mortgage payments. Additionally, the food problem will increase. Food scarcity already at elevated levels.

Key West heat yesterday was where it is supposed to be this time of the year. I had to go to the doctor’s. Opened the front door to leave. The blast of hot air was horrible. The humidity extremely heavy.

Since I am self-quarantined, this was the first time I really experienced such humidity this summer.

United Airlines announced it is cutting 2,850 pilots this year. Amounts to a 21 percent reduction in United pilot positions.

This day in 1963 a significant one in the civil rights movement. It was on such day that Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his ” I Have a Dream” speech before 200,000 people in front of the Lincoln Memorial. The speech was delivered as part of the March on Washington.

Several months ago, I wrote an article on sex trafficking in the United States. Interestingly, most of the girls involved are residents of the U.S. Very few from foreign countries.

In Metro Atlanta alone, each month 300 young girls are lured into sex trafficking.

This past week, 39 missing children ages 3 – 17 were rescued. Fifteen had been into sex trafficking. The 39 missing had been missing anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months.

Sex trafficking is extensive in the U.S. Every 40 seconds a child is abducted. One sixth of those abducted will become sex trafficking victims.

My concern for May Johnston continues to grow. She is a damsel around town. Supposedly in love with Ernesto who works out of town.

Me thinks she might be cheating.

May makes reference almost daily that she takes a “car” here or there. I thought it was a motor vehicle.

Not so. This morning’s Key West Citizen ran a photo of a “car” May might have been using. A long mule drawn cart.

Enjoy your day!

It was the modem. Ten years old. Died. Replaced and I was back in business about 5.

Insanity prevails!

Trump wants Biden drug tested. Trump will submit to a drug test also.

Makes me wonder what Trump snorts.

The reason for the requested drug test is that Biden showed great improvement during the primary debate season. Other than his opinion, Trump offered no evidence of Biden’s purported drug use. His request based on mere speculation.

Trump made a similar request prior to the second Presidential debate in 2016. Trump thought Hillary Clinton should be drug tested.

Pence was Pence last night.

Noted Trump would bring safety and order to the U.S.

A typical Trump line reiterated by his #2. I find it amusing. Trump causes the problems and then says he will correct them. The inference being the opposition began the muckraking.

Another Pence statement: “You won’t be satisfied in Biden’s America.” Many Americans are not satisfied in Trump’s America!

Back when I was in the 8th grade, I gave a speech from a fire truck during Fire Prevention Week. The privilege the result of a composition I wrote.

I concluded the speech with “A match has a head but no brain.” Trump has a head but no brain.

Pam Bondi. Former Florida Attorney General. She spoke last night at the Republican Convention.

One of Bondi’s clients these days is the nation of Qatar. She is a registered lobbyist for Qatar. Qatar is one of the richest nations in the world.

I thought her actions while Attorney General were a bit far out. Her thought process appears not to have changed.

She charged Biden with being engaged in self-dealing and nepotism as regards the Ukraine, Hunter and Biden himself.

The accusations have long been debunked. Several times. Nevertheless, Bondi resurfaced them.

A cheap shot.

Bondi has achieved success. Good for her! One way or another, she “owes her soul to the company store.”

Laura hit land as a Category 4 last night. Swiftly became a 3. Expected to be a 2 as it moves inland.

The surge was expected to be deadly. Something like 15-20 feet. Fortunately, it did not arrive in populated areas. It made its way through swamp areas.

Initial damage not yet known. Obviously will be bad. Very bad. However would have been much worse had the surge come over the cities.

Hackley’s diary entry today much longer than normal. More than half concerned the baby. Constant high fever, sweat and no sweat.

The baby is one tough infant. Hope she survives.

May’s diary entry indicated she went to La Brisa with Charlie. Wonder if her mother knew.

Do not understand May’s relationship with her purported lover Ernesto. While he is out of town working, she is out with many different men.

Is this a when the cat is away the mice will play situation? I am beginning to wonder.

Doctor vist later in the morning. Hope I get definitive information re my purported kidney problem. It has been a month since discovery and no one is sure yet what and why.

Enjoy your day!

First my blog talk radio show from last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Never happened.

The show operates over my land line. My land line was dead! Called Comcast. They could not fix it. A repair man is scheduled for 5 this afternoon.

Such is life.

Wow, Laura is surprising everyone.

Five days ago it was a developing tropical storm. The cone was heading for the Keys.

Laura became a tropical storm. Weather experts said don’t worry, a nothing. Not forming well. Will probably dissipate before it hits landfall.

The cone started moving. No longer over Key West. The cone made it appear Laura would merely brush Key West. No big deal.

Suddenly, Laura was a Category 1. Moved south. Florida out of it completely. Hit Cuba and Puerto Rico hard, however.

Laura appeared to be gaining strength. Was now in the Gulf heading for Louisiana. Might be a Category 2.

Last night, it was a Category 3 and heading for Texas and Louisiana.

This morning it is in the process of becoming a Category 4. It will hit Texas and Louisiana as a 3 or 4.

All this happening in 5 days.

Hurricanes are fickle. This the most fickle I have observed.

Started off as a nothing and now a Category 4.

I was watching some Texas and Louisiana residents on TV this morning. Most are staying. Too late to get out they feel. One said he did not want to deal with the bumper to bumper traffic.

Irma was a 4. Irma did significant damage in the Keys when it became a 4. Irma was supposed to hit Key West right on as a 5. Moved a bit to the left and went over Key West as a 1. Turned slightly right again and was on a direct path over the Keys.

Cudjoe Key is 16 miles north of Key West. Irma was a 4 when it hit.

If you read Irma and Me, I described the damage I saw upon returning to Key West a week later. Terrible!

I got out of “Dodge” 5 days before Irma arrived. At that time, it was projected Irma would hit Key West as a Category 5. Scared me.

A tough night ahead for those still in Texas and Louisiana when Laura hits. A prayer is in order.

Dodge, again.

I read last night an article describing Key West as an “open city.” All I could think of was Dodge.

Why the open city description? TV channels 10, the Weather Channel and CNN showed scenes of Duval and tourists up and down Duval. Note that locals rarely go down to Duval in the day time.

Less than 10 percent of the revelers on Duval were wearing masks and social distancing.

Key West has mask and social distancing orders. Problem is they are not being enforced. Rules are of no value in combating coronavirus unless enforced.

Yesterday’s blog contained the story of the 20 year old young lady who had a heart attack. The paramedics and emergency room doctor declared her dead.

Her body was sent to a funeral parlor. As the funeral director was about to begin the embalming process, her eyes opened and she began breathing.

Last I knew, she was in the hospital in critical condition.

John Galt is a loyal blog reader. Comments frequently.

He suggested that historically being buried alive was not uncommon. “Safety coffins” were devised to help the supposed dead when they became aware they had been buried.

The time the 17th and 18th centuries.

The living became aware of the problem by the voices of those buried. Digging up the body not always timely. Bodies were found in or partially out of coffins. Hands generally in rough shape from digging attempts to get out.

Buried when alive was a concern of George Washington. He ordered that he not be buried for 3 days. Alfred Noble ordered his arteries be cut open. Frederic Chopin ordered his heart be cut out.

A serious problem.

The safety coffin was invented. A rope was attached inside the coffin. The other end was above ground attached to a pole or tombstone. It had a bell hanging on it. If the person buried should not have been, the “deceased” would ring the bell and hopefully someone would hear it.

The term “saved by the bell” came into being. Fitting.

Most view saved by the bell as a fighting term. It is. However a number of historians attribute the term’s origin to the safety coffin.

Thank you, John Galt.

Last evening was the second night of the Republican Convention. Failed to turn me on. Not because I dislike Trump. Rather I expected more and better from the show man.

The show in general went after Biden. He was referred to as a “swamp creature, communist dictator, and not being a nice guy.”

Lies were abundant. I cannot understand how Trump’s guests spouted the lies they did. What could they hope to gain?

Impossible for Trump to be reelected. His track record in office the worst ever for a President.

If I am wrong, the U.S. will not be a place I would want to spend my last few years. I have been looking. Portugal appealing.

The mighty fall.

Exxon a gas and oil giant for almost a century. For 92 years, it has been part of the Dow Jones Average. It will no longer be as of September 1.

Exxon will still be in business.  Profitable, though not as profitable as in past years.

New type companies are responsible for Exxon and other long term companies dropping down status wise. New kids on the block. Companies like Amazon.

Coronavirus a contributing factor to Exxon’s problems, also.

Hackley’s diary entry for this date 1855 contained the following: “The baby had a fever again.”

The baby has been sick for months. I worry.

Enjoy your day!

The arguments for opening or not opening schools understandable. Merit on both sides. More merit however on the side of keeping them closed at the present time.

The well being of children always a first priority.

Many disagree. One reason is they want a return to normalcy. Don’t we all? The other it will free Mom up to return to work. Important as well.

However standing on the mountain top way above those considerations is the health of children.

A Florida judge saw it this way in a decision last week. He temporarily blocked Governor DeSantis’ from forcing public schools to reopen brick and mortar classrooms amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The judge ruled the State’s order “arbitrarily disregards safety.”

Amazing how hurricanes fly! Never know where they are going to end up.

Laura initially was supposed to broadside Key West. Then was going to miss it. However, Key West would have wind and rain.

Laura was supposedly weak. A tropical storm when first reported. Some weather experts thought it would dissipate and bother no one.

That story began 4 days ago.

This morning it is reported Laura is in the Gulf Coast. Expected to hit Louisiana and Texas. As a Category 3. Wow! From a nothing tropical storm to a big hurricane.

Never came near Key West.

Nature has its own way.

Sea weed. We all know what is sea weed is. The stinking green stuff thrown up on beaches.

There is another “sea weed.” Marijuana.

A family was fishing 30 miles off the Middle Keys. They caught a duffel bag. A duffel bag filled with 10-15 bundles of marijuana. Which reportedly “smelled phenomenal.”

A return to “square grouper” days!

Hackley wrote in his diary for this day in 1855 that the baby had a fever for several hours. It would not go away. Hackley rubbed the baby with water on the baby’s head and stomach. Called the doctor. Doctor said keep rubbing the baby down with water. If fever returned, use a little Ipecas on the skin.

Matilda still suffering.

The boil on her left breast broke. The one on the right remains and is “very painful.”

The pain must have been awful. Matilda went buggy riding with a friend in the afternoon.

The first evening of the Republican Convention was last night. It was reported this morning that the “first night of the Republican National Convention featured more lies than the four nights of the DNC.”

Excerpts from 3 comments by blog readers: A Trump “be very afraid” show. “Doom and gloom.”

The other indicated Trump was going to fix our problems. Ones he’s created. Good luck! A leopard never changes his spots.

Another found the evening “weird.”

Personally, I thought most of the speakers were crazy. Who yelled, who threw her arms ever upward, etc. Weirdos all.

One thing that especially bothered me were the blacks he had speaking on his behalf. It’s a free country. You can be whatever political persuasion you desire. Never the less, I viewed them as traitors to their own people. Trump could care less about black people. He hates them.

We are all sinners. Some less than others. Some, more.

Hypocrisy enters the picture on occasion. Like a religious who sins to an extreme. Catholic priests and young boys for example.

There have been many individual clerics who were found wanting. Many who became involved in sexual wrongdoings.

The most recent is the Rev. Jerry Falwell Jr. Son of Jerry Falwell. President of Liberty University.

When it rains, it pours. He got hit big time!

He posted a picture of himself on Instagram. Not very bright. His trousers were unzipped and he had his arm around a woman not his wife.

The door was open. Another story came out.

A former business partner claims he had a sexual relationship with Falwell and his wife Becki for 6 years. Becki and the friend would have sex while Falwell sat on a chair in the corner watching.

Falwell appears to have thrown his wife under the wheels of a bus. He claims only she had sex.

Falwell initially resigned as President and a Board member of Liberty University. Then withdrew both and took a leave of absence instead.

Falwell is not the first cleric to fall. I recall Jim Baker some 40-50 years ago. A very popular TV pastor.

His downfall arose out of some sex involving he and his wife. It opened the door to his organization’s books. Baker did some time in prison.

Then there was another major TV cleric some 30 years ago. He was involved in homosexual activity. He went down.

There were many more.

Illicit sex is one of man’s greatest weaknesses.

Note that I condemn not. I fully subscribe to Jesus’ words: “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” We are all sinners to some degree.

Where is the second major stimulus package? The House passed theirs more than 3 months ago. The Senate has never acted on the House bill nor countered with one of their own. Trump claims he will veto the House bill if it reaches his desk.

In the meantime, America’s millions out of work are having all kinds of financial difficulties. From not being able to put food on the table to the impending mortgage foreclosures.

Watched parts of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s testimony yesterday before a Congressional committee.

Without a doubt, an absolutely lousy witness. He was not cute or trying to be evasive. He just knew nothing. And you could see he was telling the truth in that regard.

A Trump tool.

Housing prices hit a record high. The purchases must be by the very rich. No one has any money. Tie it to the mortgage foreclosures that will start in September or October involving the less financially secure who will not be able to meet their mortgage payments.

Economic experts believe the real estate market bubble is about to burst. So do I. Never forget that what goes up, must go down.

What I am about to relate is relatively common. I wrote an article on the problem several years ago. It happens.

People who are not dead yet declared dead.

Timisha Beauchamp is a 20 year old young lady who sunday suffered a heart attack. The paramedics gave her CPR for 30 minutes before declaring her dead. An emergency room doctor confirmed the prognosis.

Timisha’s body was delivered to a funeral home. The funeral home was about to begin the embalming process when Timisha opened her eyes and began breathing.

At the moment she remains alive in a hospital in critical condition. Since she was without medical care for a period of time, the doctors are not sure how her life will be if she lives.

Tonight Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Oh, so much to talk about!

Join me at 9 my time for a quick moving and interesting half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

We live in strange times. Primarily the result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Extreme problems call for equally extreme solutions.

Wearing masks and social distancing a problem.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has done a great job in getting Covid-19 under control. From the worst numbers to probably the best. His goal now to keep new cases down. Understandably, he does not want New York to return to where it was.

Cuomo is constantly implementing new rules, extinguishing other rules. His purpose again to keep New York’s numbers down.

Not everyone agrees with him, of course. However, he has done extremely well so far. Difficult to argue with success.

New York has a new set of rules. Dancing is banned in bars and restaurants, even wedding receptions of more than 50. Included in the new exclusions also are darts, pool, cornhole, karaoke, and exotic dancing.

Zero in on weddings.

The penalty for failing to abide by the no dancing rule carries a severe penalty. Not to the couple being wedded. Rather to the owner/operator where the wedding is being held. The loss of the establishment’s liquor license.

I am not certain how long the new rule has been in effect. However where there is a will, there is a way. Those being married withhold the location of the event to the last minute.

Sort of like prohibition. New York wedding parties are yesterday’s speakeasies.

Cuomo’s record spectacular so far. However in this instanced has he gone a step too far?

The decision is in the hands of a federal judge in Albany.

From what I have been able to determine, the issue is the number of persons rather than the event itself. Why “50?” Should the ban be an absolute one or the number of days different?

Reminds me of an old song with the words “strange things are happening.”

Epidemics/pandemics cost money. Significant dollars.

A recent report details costs. Coronavirus far and away the most costly. No competition.

Costs of recent epidemics/pandemics: SARS (2003) $40 billion, H5N1 (2006) $40 billion, H1N1 (2009) $45 billion, Ebola (2014) $55 billion, Covid-19 (2020) $8 trillion.

A message here. Investing in public health preparedness is FAR CHEAPER than the economic impact of a pandemic.

Italy got hit bad by coronavirus. They have brought it under control, though cases are still occurring.

Italy’s top medical authority reported that 75 percent of all people who died from coronavirus had high blood pressure.

I’m so proud of our President. He has come up with another medical cure for the virus. Not quite in the class of drinking or injecting one’s self with bleach. Bad in its own right, however.

Trump announced the FDA had authorized the use of “convalescent plasma” for Covid-19. He described it as an “emergency authorization…..truly historic.”

Doctors and scientists immediately and in aligner said it could not be. One major problem is that there has been insufficient testing.

Trump of course was all excited on TV yesterday in making the announcement. He had the head of the FDA with him. No Dr. Falci or others normally on stage.

The announcement nothing more than a political ploy. Trump thinks the American people are stupid. He is smarter than all of them. Good luck! Very, very few will buy the new cure as reported.

Trump cares not about the health of the American people. He would rather bullshit them as in the announcement. Truth means nothing to him. The glory of the falsehood is what is important.

The Republican Convention begins this evening. Going to be interesting. I am anxious to see what Trump and the Republicans consider important. I suspect Trump will be all over the Convention 4 evenings in a row. The publicity advantage will be too much for him to avoid.

On this day in 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted. Buried Pompeii and an adjoining community. Thousands killed. Their bodies and homes buried for centuries beneath thick layers of volcanic material and mud.

In the modern era, archaeologists have been digging and uncovering the ruins.

I saw 2 similar situations in my European travels. Though neither anywhere near the size of Vesuvius.

One was in Navarro, Italy. What I saw in Navarro is commonplace throughout Italy and other parts of what once was the Roman Empire.

The Romans marked off a large piece of land. Dug  beneath the surface a number of feet. Exact amount, I am not sure. Could have been as much as 10 feet.

Whole communities were erected sub-surface. Dirt the floor, walls and ceilings. Rooms, walkways, etc. The Roman soldier lived in such excavations. Protected from everything and everyone.

The perimeter area top side was a wall of large stones.

I was impressed.

The other instance was in Athens.

Acropolis is the mountain. Parthenon sits upon it. There are two “play areas” on different sides at the foot of Acropolis.

I describe them as the “rich” and “poor” sides. The rich, expensive restaurants and the like. The poor cheaper with outdoor cafes, tiny restaurants, bars, stands selling everything. The poor side at least a thousand establishments.

Plus some buildings still standing from centuries ago. My favorite each time I visited was Hadrian’s Library.

I preferred the poor side. More fun. It was there I Greek danced and broke dishes. Dressing casual.

Parthenon at the top of Acropolis can be seen from both sides. Especially beautiful in the evening when Parthenon is lighted.

It was lunch time. I was walking the poor area looking for a place to have lunch and write my day’s blog. I found a nicely shaded out door cafe for lunch.

There was a fence behind me that I could see through. Men were working excavating homes and other things that had been buried a good 20 feet. Like Roman barracks and Pompeii. Actual houses and furniture could be seen.

The area being uncovered was small.

I wanted to know what it was. Where and why it was there.

I asked many. No one knew who understood English. I did not understand Greek. Ergo, I never found out.

Two days ago, 2 hurricanes were on the way. Marco the worst. However no concern to Key West. Would head into the Gulf and hit Louisiana.

Laura presented no problem for Key West. Though the right side of the cone was initially going over Key West. No concern because it was a tropical storm, might never hit hurricane status, and probably dissipate before reaching Florida.

In the interest of safety, certain evacuations were mandated. If we were staying, we were told to stock up, etc. The usual routine.

Laura never hit Key West or Florida. Moved south. Went over the southern side of Cuba. Now heading for Louisiana and expected to make landfall as a Category 2.

Marco turned into a nothing.

When I sailed, I was told wind was fickle. Always changing direction and speed. Hurricanes are the same.

Baby care apparently a big problem in 1855 Key West. William Hackley mentioned in his diary entry of today that Matilda had 2 boils. One on each breast. He further mentioned that the baby was still having a problem with breast milk. Matilda was not producing enough and what she did may not have been the best for the baby.

Moving to 1896 and May Johnston’s diary entry for yesterday.

She went to La Brisa. Always going to La Brisa. Apparently her mother did not like her 20 year old daughter going to La Brisa.

May wrote: “Came home Mama raised the devil because I went out there. I ‘cussed’ liked the devil and raved and mad.”

She concluded her diary entry with: FURIOUS.

Enjoy your day!

Groups have existed throughout the ages condemning sex. Considered sex a vice. However in the 18th and 19th centuries, sex took a second seat to masturbation.

Masturbation as practiced by both men and women.

Religion was the motivator in decrying masturbation. From time immemorial, the Judaeo-Christian tradition has had a negative attitude about people touching themselves. Then came the Victorian Era and the Great Awakening. The extreme prudishness of these eras created the perfect storm for people to become obsessed with masturbation. Masturbation also known as onanism.

Soon masturbation was considered not merely a moral failing. It was also a physical and mental ailment requiring medical assistance, treatment and cures.

John Harvey Kellogg was a physician. In the late 1800s, he was Superintendent of the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan.

He was popular and respected. He was considered America’s newest and most prominent health guru.

His upbringing was as a Seventh Day Adventist. The group anti-passion.

Dr. Kellogg believed sex was bad for the physical and mental well being of his patients. Of people in general. The sanitarium served a strict vegetarian diet. No alcohol, tobacco or caffeine. The Doctor believed that spicy and sweet foods increased the passions.

The intestines and bowels were also important in caring for Sanitarium patients and guests.

Dr. Kellogg described masturbation as a solitary vice and self pollution. Fitting words.

To understand Dr. Kellogg’s mental perspective, one has to recognize how the man lived. Though married, he was a celibate. His marriage never consummated. He and his wife had separate bedrooms. Their children were adopted.

Dr. Kellogg had an enema administered every morning of his adult life. He lived into his 90s.

He wrote several successful books on the dilatory effects of masturbation. Two interesting quotes from his novels follow.

“If illicit commerce of the sexes is a heinous sin, self pollution is a crime doubly abominable.”

“Neither plague, nor war, nor small pox have produced results so disastrous to humanity as the pernicious habit of onanism. Such a victim dies by his own hand.”

An observation…..”Such a victim dies by his own hand.” What a way to go!

Dr. Kellogg, as well as much of the medical profession at the time, believed masturbation caused the following: leprosy, tuberculosis, heart disease, epilepsy, dimness of vision, insanity, idiocy, death, cancer of the womb, urinary diseases, nocturnal emissions, impotence, defective development, fickleness, bashfulness, bad posture, acne, and palpitations.

Dr. Kellogg saw the need for a healthy ready to eat anti-masturbatory morning meal. He accidentally invented corn flakes in 1894. A patent was obtained in 1896. A company was started to mail order corn flakes to customers.

With the advent of corn flakes, Dr. Kellogg was feeding it to patients and guests. In addition to another procedure he developed to insure their clean intestines. An enema that ran water through the bowel followed by a pint of yogurt. Half the yogurt delivered through the mouth, the other half through the anus.

From the early 1900s through the 1920s, many famous people attended Dr. Kellogg’s Sanitarium for treatments. Some I cannot understand. The Sanitarium was anti-sex, anti-masturbation, and for clean intestines and bowels.

An attendee was President Warren G. Harding. I find his participation amusing. Historians are clear regarding the President’s sex escapades with his lady friend Nan Britton. They frequented a White House closet to do the dirty deed.

Other frequent guests at the Sanitarium included movie star Johnny Weissmuller (one of the first Tarzans), Henry Ford, and Amelia Earhart.

Recognize that Dr. Kellogg was the man, the authority as regards masturbation cures. His methods extreme in many cases.

As well as adults, boys and girls participated in masturbation. To control what he described as “nasty habits,” the Doctor advocated and employed the following procedures.

For boys, threading a silver wire through the foreskin to prevent erections and cause irritation.

For girls, an application of carbolic acid to the clitoris to burn it. Thereby discouraging touching.

Dr. Kellogg had a brother, W.K. Kellogg. Popularly known as Willy. The Doctor and Willy were in business together in the running of the Sanitarium and the discovery of corn flakes.

Willy was the business man. His interest was making money. Not the per se health of the patients and guests.

The relationship between the two thinned. They were on separate roads. Willy for example wanted to add sugar to the corn flakes to make them more tasty and hopefully more salable. His brother said absolutely not.

The two eventually split. Willy started Kellogg’s Corn Flakes Company. Dr. Kellogg sued. The litigation went on for years. Eventually Willy became the sole proprietor of the company.

Corn flakes never achieved its intended effect. People continued to masturbate. Today, Kellogg’s sells corn flakes and other breakfast products world wide. No one ingesting the corn flakes for any other reason than they taste good.

I think Dr. Kellogg was a nut. Simply stated. Not because of his discovery of corn flakes. For his anti-sexism and anti-masturbation. He took his treatments a step too far.

On the other hand, perhaps I am wrong. Many in his day believed based on religious fervor that sex and masturbation were wrong. The Doctor gave them what they wanted and I am sure what he thought correct at the time.

Right and wrong change with time. Medical treatments change with time.

It is fortunate things change. The unacceptable of yesterday is the acceptable of today. In addition to masturbation, marijuana, same sex marriage, interracial marriages, and alcohol consumption are a few examples.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Quarantine has become a familiar word world wide. The concept goes as far back as biblical times. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the most recent one in modern times was the 1972 Yugoslav small pox epidemic.

I feel the quarantine everyday. This is my 170th day of self-quarantine. Most of my friends are self quarantined. Such is life during the coronavirus pandemic.

Where did the word come from? Its origination.

It began with the bubonic plague, aka the Black Death.

It was the fourteenth century. The onset of the bubonic plague. The Venetians came up with the term

In 1377, ships arriving in the port of Ragusa, now Dubrovnik, Croatia, but under Venetian rule at the time, were required to anchor for 30 days before landing.

In 1448, the Venetian Senate extended that period to 40 days – or quaranta giorni – which gave birth to the term “quarantine.”

The bubonic plague had a 37 day period between infection and death, making the Venetian Senate’s 40 day quarantine very effective.

The hurricane season has started with a bang. More than normal.

Two are heading for the U.S. at the moment. Marcos and Laura. Marcos certain to hit along the Gulf seaboard. Laura, the Florida Keys or Panhandle. These two storms are a first time in the making. It will be the first time 2 storms have been in the Gulf at the same time.

Laura presently a tropical storm. Expected to be a Category 1 if it strikes the Keys. It would arrive monday morning and be gone by monday evening.

Laura’s cone keeps moving to the south. Yesterday, the center was right over Key West. Today, the cone looks like it will merely brush Key West.

Laura’s southern movement makes it a certainty to strike Cuba and Puerto Rico.

Yesterday, the Keys were declared a state of emergency. Certain mandatory evacuations were imposed. None applicable at this time to locals. Shelters will open at 3 in the afternoon sunday.

In the 30 years I have been in Key West, I have become a half assed expert re hurricanes. I will be staying. The worse I anticipate will be a few hours of heavy wind and rain. Nothing to be concerned about.

As a matter of caution however, I have loaded up with hurricane foods and water.

I do not stand alone in not leaving. I doubt any locals will. Not out of a sense of false bravery. Rather experience has taught us how to evaluate the danger.

Lemon Ice. Also known as Italian Ice. An all over the world commodity today. Key West has a lemon ice vendor across the street from the Hemingway House.

Came across an interesting article as to how lemon ice came to be.

Back in 17th century Sicily, whenever the summer sun sent the temperature soaring, the locals sought to beat the heat with a simple satisfying treat. They gathered snow from the upper levels of Mount Etna, infused it with fruit or wine, and relished it. Such became known as “water ice.”

Nero favored the treat. He would order his slaves to climb a mountain, fetch snow, and make water ice.

The refreshment was not complicated to prepare. Eventually became a favorite in other regions of Italy, Greece, France, Spain, and Great Britain.

Watched Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on TV yesterday answering questions for a Senate Committee.

I spent my life time in the court room. You develop a talent/sense for when a witness is lying. DeJoy was lying yesterday. A typical Trump appointee.

DeJoy must think the people of America are stupid. He underestimates us. He is out to destroy the Post Office. Something Trump has wanted since day 1. Important at this time because of mail in ballots in the November election.

DeJoy testified among other things that the fact that a little less than 700 sorting machines and a multitude of mail boxes were removed, such would not affect the anticipated heavy voting by mail.

DeJoy had to be the only one who believed his words.

Primaries were held across the U.S. this past week. Rejected were 550,000 mail in ballots. In 2016, only 318,000 were rejected.

I would anticipate the number rejected will be higher in November because more people will be voting via mail in ballots.

California a wildfire disaster again. The fires are spreading rapidly across the heat wave baked California lands. Lightning a factor. Over 12,000 lightning strikes the past 3 days.

Note that Governor Newsom, Senator Harris (Democratic VP candidate), and Speaker Pelosi are all Californians and Democrats.

California has requested the federal government to declare the State a major disaster area, thus qualifying California for federal assistance.

No response to the request yet. That is why Newsom went to the governors.

Trump generally ignores help to states that are not supportive of him. He continuously fails to recognize he is President of all the people.

I am curious to see if Trump comes to the aid of California. It would be against his nature. He like to see his “enemies” suffer.

On this day in 1896, May Johnston received a letter from Everest. No big thrill, noise, etc. as with previous letters. In fact, no mention at all except it was received. A cooling romance?

Enjoy your day!

The pandemic has proven to be social welfare for the rich. The rich have gotten richer during the pandemic. Increasing significantly an already serious inequity.

While 30 million lost their jobs, the wealth of America’s 600 plus billionaires has ballooned by $434 billion to $3.4 trillion.

Notice how the stock market is booming. Only a few benefiting, however. The already rich.

Ten percent of American households own 84 percent of the value of stocks. They are America’s richest. The remaining 90 percent own 16 percent.

The first big stimulus hit helped the wealthy more than those receiving the dollars. I refer to the unemployment checks, the $6oo per week per person, monies per child, etc.

It only took a little while.

Hundreds of billions of dollars went to persons needing help. Those receiving the stimulus dollars spent them. Such was the purpose for which they were authorized. People needed the monies to survive.

Companies like Amazon and Walmart did and are doing a hell of a business. Rent and mortgages have been paid.

Supermarket sales increased. Albertson Companies posted a 53 percent increase in revenues for the second quarter of this year.

The stimulus dollars recycled. From the government to the needy receiving the checks to the person and entities where the dollars were spent. The effect was to drive the wealth of the richest up after it left the hands of little people.

Ballooning inequality leads to disaster. It is a form of social welfare for the rich. The cycle: The government sends money to the poor who spend it with the rich. In the end, the poor are left with nothing at the same time the rich have gotten richer. Concentrated gains in the hands of a few.

A society cannot survive with this type social welfare. Concededly, the stimulus package was needed. Another one soon, hopefully.

Then what? The government will have to print more money, inflation will occur, the poor will be no better off, the rich will have become richer so any problems resulting will not affect them.

Only the poor and needy and the government will suffer. The rich will have so much they will be immune from economic disaster. Their monies sitting in off shore accounts all over the world.

An excellent Democratic Convention this week. Biden excelled. Everyone who spoke did.

It was a different type convention. I am not referring to how it had to be conducted in this coronavirus year. I refer rather to clean and dirty.

When Trump and his Republican cohorts speak, I feel dirty. I did not feel that way listening to Biden and Company. They are committed to making it all right again.

Amazing all the people Trump had in his administration who have been arrested. Most convicted. Some jailed. The number endless.

The most recent Steve Bannon. He was part of Trump’s pre-election team and then a White House adviser following election. Till Trump fired him. If my recollection is correct, he was fired because Trump thought Bannon was receiving more publicity than he.

Bannon has always been a bad guy. Developed into a far right conservative. Disliked existing governments. Spoke right up and let everyone know his purpose in life was to destroy existing governments/establishments.

Bannon was arrested yesterday.

Appears he was leader of a pack who set up a Go Fund Me account to erect a border wall in New Mexico. Money flowed in. To the tune of $25 million.

The operation a phony. The Go Fund Me account was for the personal benefit of Bannon and others and to launder money.

Since leaving the White House, Bannon has been involved with the Catholic Church. He is ultra-right. He became tight with the Conference of American Bishops officed in Washington, D.C.

The group is anti-Pope Francis. They have been giving Francis a hard time since his election. Bannon has worked hand in hand with the group.

The Bishops’ group ultra right also.

Bannon and the group want Francis to go or Francis’ powers to be curtailed.

What Bannon is doing is consistent with his basic philosophical motivation. He wants to take the established Catholic Church down and replace it with a different structure with a new Pope, etc.

The man is dangerous.

Enjoy your day!

Many topics of interest today.

Yesterday was primary day in Florida.

The votes were all counted by 10 last night.

Voting by mail set an all time high. A record.

The vote was less than it would be if a major office were involved like President or Senator. Nevertheless, significant.

We are dealing with whores as regards the Post Office issues. Trump and DeJoy leading the pack.

Tuesday DeJoy announced removal of mailboxes and sorting machines was “suspended” till after the election. Yesterday, he told Pelosi that the boxes and machines removed would not be returned. He was merely stopping further removals. What was gone, was gone.

DeJoy has swiftly learned Washington ways. He speaks with a twisted tongue.

Six hundred thirty five sorting machines already removed.

Now for the beauty of it all. Word is DeJoy has hired an outside PR firm to ward off any public election fears.

It need not be said. We all know the Post Office is important to the everyday life of the nation.

What is happening today is not the first time the mail was not moving.

Post Office employees went on strike in 1970. A wildcat one. Low wages the issue.

Nixon declared a national emergency. Called out the national guard to work the post offices. Not a legal move. However no one called him on it.

Thirty percent of postal workers refused to work. The strike lasted 8 days.

Pictures show bags of mail stacked up in Post Offices. Reminded me of garbage strikes in New York City.

Americans were irritated. Politely stated. Pissed off a more accurate description.

The Vietnam War was ongoing. Mail to and from loved ones not moving, welfare checks not being received, small businessmen were saying they might have to go out of business, draft notices were not being received.

The scenario is about to be replayed. With one significant addition. Mail in ballots.

A  gigantic mess in the making!

Never fails! The vermin come out of the wood work and Trump supports them.

A group called QAnon in the news.

QAnon is a far right conspiracy theory detailing a supposed secret plot by an alleged “deep state” against Trump and his supporters. A group has gathered around the theory.

QAnon supports Trump to the ultimate.

Q the leader. No one sure whether Q is one person or more than one.

Some of the theories/beliefs of QAnons include Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and George Soros planning a coup while simultaneously involved as members of an international child sex trafficking ring.

Also, certain Hollywood stars are pedophiles.

They presently are pushing drinking a particular industrial bleach as a “miracle cure” for Covid-19.

They claim children are being abducted in large numbers to supply a child trafficking ring.

They are considered to be anti-Semitic.

Some of the milder QAnon theories include that North Korean leader Kim Jong un is a puppet ruler installed by the CIA and that Angela Merkel is Adolph Hitler’s granddaughter.

QAnon believes Trump is battling sex trafficking world wide. They view Trump as a “patriot.”

Trump’s reaction to the group typical.

He knows not much about them. However, Trump says they appear to be people who “love our country…..they supposedly love me.”

Trump failed to answer specific questions at a press conference yesterday as to whether he agreed with conspiracy positions taken by QAnon.

By so doing, Trump in effect embraced proponents of QAnon’s conspiracy theories.

Germany has begun an interesting study. Has to do with “universal basic income.”

Simply stated, the government will provide X number of dollars per month to persons.

The study is a 3 year one. The 120  Germans participating will receive $1,400 per month during the 3 years.

Another group is involved in the study. Those receiving the payments will be compared to 1,380 not receiving them.

Finland tried universal basic income in 2017 and 2018. Mixed results. Finland is considering trying it again. Coronavirus the motivation.

Enjoy your day!

9/11 gave birth to new protective measures. Bush 2, Obama and Trump initiated actions to more fully protect the U.S. A problem has arisen. Trump once again has gone too far.

Many of Thump’s initiatives as bad as the federal government climbing into bed with a husband and wife.

Trump is a control freak. His goal to dominate everything. He understands not the Constitution and the limits it imposes on the Presidency.

His habit is to go a step too far.

A recent Trump wrongdoing involves the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Tennessee’s State Police.

They are no longer employed by the State of Tennessee. They are employees of the Department of Homeland Security.

How he accomplished it, I do not know. However, it is fact.

Once again, Trump is wrong. The State Police being taken over by a federal agency cannot be legal. A clear violation of state rights.

Does it scare you? It should. The state trooper giving you a speeding ticket has powers far beyond that of a normal state trooper. Why? My speeding ticket is none of the federal government’s business!

Is there another reason? Can it be to place “troops” in Trump’s control in the event he deems such necessary? Like refusing to leave the Presidency because he plans on declaring the November 3 election “rigged.”

Whatever way Trump turns, he continues to make life for the American people more difficult.

Coronavirus has brought many new and different ways as to how the American people live. One is the way people shop. Pandemic buying the new vogue.

Actually called “eCommerce” shopping. More and more are going to delivery shopping.

The second quarter of this year found a 44 percent spike in delivery orders. Areas that have expanded include groceries, building materials, garden supplies, and furniture.

Walmart a perfect example of a company prospering via the increased delivery demand. Walmart’s sales were up 97 percent in the second quarter of this year compared to the second quarter of last year.

America has been recognized till recently as the smartest nation in the world. First in most things.

I don’t have to tell you not any more. Trump has made it possible for the U.S. to lose its #1 ranking in many areas.

Coronavirus is one. It is literally killing us. The whole world has been affected. Some countries have taken way more aggressive steps than the U.S. to eradicate the problem.

Australia for example. Australia is using high tech “surveillance drones” to catch people outside not wearing masks.

The University of North Carolina was the first institution of higher learning to close down. After one week of in class operation, it has told students they must go virtual to continue their educations. The high numbers of new virus infections demanded the course of action.

Yesterday, Michigan State and Notre Dame advised they were closing down in room classes.

Notre Dame experienced 146 coronavirus cases in the first 8 days it was open.

Notre Dame is shut down for 2 weeks. A wait and see period. Michigan State for the entire semester.

It appears the people have won in the Post Office battle. It was announced by the Post Office’s de Joy yesterday that all recent cutbacks, etc. were suspended till after the election. Mailboxes will be returned to where they stood, mail sorting machines put back in place, overtime permitted, employees paid for overtime, and whatever else was involved.

This is a President Reagan situation. Recall his deliberations with Russia. “Trust, but verify.” Everything must be rock solid so Trump cannot do something negative again a few days before the election.

Coronavirus has added a new phrase to our language. Pandemic proxy. Means in effect that more people will be voting by mail than at the polls. The reason being no one wants to get the disease. Especially the old.

Florida’s primary was yesterday. A huge senior citizen state.

It was reported this morning that mail in voting dominated. Few actually voted in person in comparison.

Bodes well for Biden.

The media was flooded this morning with reports concerning the Senate Intelligence Report re its investigation into the 2016 election,  Trump, and some Trump colleagues. The query was whether there was Russian interference in the 2016 election and who knew what when.

The Report was positive. There was interference and named who.

There were suggestions of perjury. Some involved had lied during the Mueller investigation and before Congressional hearings.

The Report was slightly less than 1,000 pages.

The Report could be Trump’s Waterloo.

Wikileaks is involved.

U.S. persons involved, including Trump, openly accepted Russia’s help. Recall Trump’s statement on TV back when: “I love Wikileaks!” Why did he say that in the middle of a campaign?

The Russian information was received and used to help the Trump campaign.

Podesta was Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager. His e-mails were a considerable portion of the Russian help provided.

The Report makes clear Trump’s claim that Russia helped him was a “hoax” is a bald faced lie.

Recall also, at some point Manafort was Trump’s campaign manager. The Report indicates Manafort owed millions of dollars to Russian banks at the time.

Everyone tells us Russia is doing it again. Already interfering in the 2020 election. We seem to be doing nothing about it. U.S. intelligence has warned Trump. He refuses to take their advice. I doubt he will pay attention to any of the items contained in the Senate Report.

Mitch McConnell has issued a statement that he doubts the Senate is likely to pass a stand alone bill re the Post Office. Typical politics at its worst. The problem a simple one. Put the Post Office back where it was a month ago and give the Post Office $25 billion to assure everything is covered re mail balloting.

Sally Yates spoke last night to the “Democratic convention.” One line sticks in my mind: Trump “trampled on the rule of law.”

Oh, to be one of the very rich! To do things like sending men to Mars.

Silicon Valley has produced a ton of millionaires. Some are interested in “biohacking.” A process that could produce “eternal life.”

Biohacking is making alterations to the human body to keep it younger. A fountain of youth, in effect. Sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel.

The rich involved want to be “immortal.” Can’t knock them for desiring such and putting their money where their mouths are.

PayPal founder Peter Thiel is a leader in the biohavcking movement. His plan simple. Inject the blood of a teenager into an older person. The practice is known as “parabiosis.”

It has already been tested successfully on mice. The mice had a “massive rejuvenating” experience. The males were chasing the females.

Thief does not believe in the “ideology of the inevitability of death.”

NETFLIX has a series beginning tomorrow concerning  what has been described herein. It is titled appropriately BIOHACKS.

Key West’s local elections were held yesterday. Mayor Teri Johnston was reelected by a large margin in a three way race. She won with just under 60 percent of the vote.

Actor Peter Gallagher is 65 years old today.

I met him some 25 yeas ago at Atlantic Shores. He was with two lovely ladies.

We all had our clothes on. We joked that qualified us as “voyeurs,” which was true that day.

We chatted a bit. A nice guy. Very friendly.

I have not seen him featured in a movie in years. I assume he is in retirement.

Enjoy your day!