Another change of pace day. The Presidential election is burying us.

The Wild West is part of America. Part of our fiber.

Two heroes of the Wild West were Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson. I write about both today.

Why western tales of old? I could have selected another topic. What happened is I read that on this date in 1881, the Gunfight at O.K. Corral occurred.

Wyatt Earp hero of the day.

Tombstone, Arizona the site. The fight took all of 30 seconds. It is regarded as one of the greatest shootouts in the annals of the Wild West.

The good guys were Wyatt, his brothers Virgil and Morgan, and Doc Holliday. The bad, the Ike Clanton gang.

Earp did not walk off into the sunset never to be heard from again. He outlived the Wild West.

Earp ended up in Hollywood. An acknowledged hero. Participated in a bit of show business.

While in Hollywood, he became good friends with the western movie actor William Hart. Earp taught Hart how to quick draw.

Earp died in 1929. Many years after the Wild West had been transformed from cowboys and Indians.

Bat Masterson another western hero.

He had nothing to do with Earpand  the O.K. Corral fight. An active man in other western exploits. A busy guy. He was an Army scout, Indian fighter, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist. Served as Sheriff of Dodge City.

Masterson was purported to have killed 28 men while still in his 20’s. His reputation re killing much greater than what actually occurred. He only killed 3. However the reputation followed him which made bad guys fear him.

Masterson eventually went east. Ended up in New York City. His last job was as a sports columnist. He worked for the prestigious New York Telegraph. Prize fighting his specialty.

He too discovered Hollywood as Earp had.

Masterson became good friends with a young prop man named Marion Morrison. Morrison became John Wayne. Wayne said he based his portrayal of western lawmen on conversations he had with Masterson.

Wayne was not the only person of repute with whom he became friends. In later life, Masterson became friends with President Theodore Roosevelt. He visited with Roosevelt in the White House many times.

Masterson died in 1921.

Both stories interesting. I selected to share them after discovering that on this day in 1881 the Gunfight at O.K. Corral occurred. Wyatt’s experiences led me to Bat Masterson. Both perfect change of pace historical figures to write about.

Enjoy your day!

A Key West opening today.

Two significant historical facts to share.

Two of the most popular tales involving Key West concern Carl Tanzler and Elena Hoyos Mesa. Weird, but true.

On this day in 1934 at age 22, Elena Hoyos Mesa died due to tuberculosis. At the time, a Carl Tanzler was deeply in love with her. Carl worked in the Key West hospital at the time.

Soon after Elena’s burial and in the dark of the night, Carl stole Elena’s body from the cemetery. Took her to his home. Lived with her body for 7 years. The same bed and who knows what else.

Carl was finally caught. Never convicted of any crime. there was no crime on the books at the time regarding living with a corpse. The cemetery theft got lost along the way.

Carl’s actions an example of true love. I guess.

At different times in its history, Key West was a booming town. Always a particular industry stood out. After a number of years, died off and disappeared.

Cigars an example. On this day in 1923, there were 25 cigar factories in Key West producing 60 million cigars a year.

Can’t argue with those numbers.

No cigar plants in Key West today. Only a solitary man sitting here and there on Key West streets rolling cigars for tourists.

Many military battles of historical significance. One is the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava during the Crimean War. The Brits against the Russians.

The battle occurred on this date in 1854.

The Russians were secure on a hill top. The top a gradual rise from a valley below. Russian guns on top and both sides. Suicide to attack up the hill.

The British did. The attack was by mistake. Some how orders got fouled up.

The Brits were led by Lord James Cardigan.

British casualties 40 percent.

Britain won an impossible battle. England rejoiced. Cardigan a hero, the surviving British soldiers acclaimed, the dead honored.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson was Poet Laureate at the time.

He read of the battle in The Times six weeks later. He wrote the narrative poem The Charge of the Light Brigade. The poem was published on December 9.

History tells us it took Tennyson “only a few minutes” to write the poem. It was immediately popular.

Lord Cardigan who led the British cavalry also derived fame beyond a hero’s status.

Over the years, Cardigan noted when British troops fought in certain areas, it was not always warm. The troops needed something extra to keep them warm. He devised/invented what has become known as the cardigan sweater for them to wear under their uniforms.

Tennyson’s poem has always excited me. His mixture of words just right. I share certain portions with you. Note the excitement: “Half a league, half a league,  / Half a league onward….. / Into the Valley of Death / Rode the six hundred….. / Theirs not to make reply, / Theirs not to reason why, / Theirs but to do and die….. / Cannon to the right of them, / Cannon to the left of them….. / Back from the mouth of hell, / All that was left of them, / Left of the six hundred. / When can their glory fade? / O the wild charge they made! / Honor the Light Brigade, / Noble six hundred!”

Yesterday could have been a bad day at black rock for Syracuse. They stood against the mighty Clemson.

Clemson a 45 point favorite.

Syracuse did lose, but not by 45 points. Only 26. The final score 47-21. Actually,  Syracuse was in the game till close to the end of the third quarter. Then it was Clemson’s game to the final gun

Enjoy your Sunday!

Some people do not know how to leave well enough alone. Key West’s annual Fantasy Fest an example.

The event normally is held this week. Not this year however. Several months ago because of the coronavirus crisis it was called off.

Not everyone happy with the call. Bars and hotels primarily. Money more important than the health of the community.

A rump group decided Key West would have a not for real Fantasy Fest. A faux Fantasy Fest. Bars and hotels behind it. Locals otherwise against.

Advertising for the event was as far north as Tampa. Last word earlier this week was that swingers groups would be coming down for the weekend.

So far I only have information re thursday night. I continue to be self quarantined. Everyone I called also or were not planning to attend at all.

What I have learned is the rain has kept many tourists away. Been raining big time for 2 weeks. Rained thursday and friday. Will rain today. This much rain not normal. Perhaps God’s way of telling the swingers to stay home.

Hotel occupancy was 80 percent thursday night. The word was many revelers would be checking out friday. The gluttonous hotels were raising rates for the weekend.

The crowd by day thursdy on Duval minimal. Thursday night better. Nothing anywhere near what it would be during an official Fantasy Fest.

A Black Lingerie Bike Ride was planned. All of 30 participated. Several hundred to a thousand in a similar parade in previous years.

One of the best barometers for Duval Street business is Mike Rossi, owner of the Red Garter. A gentleman’s club, a strip joint. Rossi said business was down one half or three quarters of what it should be.

Under normal circumstances, tonight would have been the parade. I doubt one was even planned. A mammoth undertaking.

In a few days, we will know what happened over the weekend.

Trump said during the recent debate that we had “rounded the corner” as far as coronavirus was concerned. If such is the case, why the present surge in many States.

Yesterday, a banner one. A record one day high in new coronavirus cases. Eighty three thousand.

Experts expect the number to increase.

The present surge is sufficiently bad that we are being told some hospitals will be in a crisis. They are ill equipped to care for the coming deluge.

I do not know what possesses Trump. He seems to have a need to do harm to people. He is a pain giver. Generally in retaliation for some act by the person or group being punished. He forgets that revenge is God’s alone.

The most recent group to feel his cruelty are federal civil service employees. Trump signed an Executive Order which will cause tens of thousands to lose their civil service protections.

Amazing how merely with the stroke of a pen he can give vent to his vindictiveness.

The Executive Order immediately removes civil service protections from federal employees. Henceforth, they can be treated as political employees. Discharged at will. Job security gone. Rights to due process gone. In some instances, even union representation prohibited.

There are 2.1 million federal civil service employees. The exact number affected not known yet. However, it is predicted to be huge.

Understand what is involved. If a President wants something done which the civil servant believes is not correct, the civil servant can be fired. Without a reason actually being given. What will be required to retain one’s position is a political loyalty test. A Jim Comey sort of thing.

Syracuse, my Syracuse!

A Casey at the bat day ahead. However, nothing expected of Syracuse.

Syracuse at noon plays the mighty Clemson. Clemson is #1 in the country. Undefeated at 5-0. Syracuse obviously not ranked with a 1-4 record.

The one game Syracuse won this year was against Georgia Tech. Syracuse beat Georgia tech 37-20. If you will recall, I said it was an excellent game. One of he best I had seen Syracuse play in years.

Clemson played Georgia Tech last week. Georgia Tech still bleeding. The score Clemson 73, Georgia Tech 7.

Oh, the pain! The Syracuse players will survive, but never forget.

I played on a basketball team one year that did not do well. I was captain. As we got the hell knocked out of us each week, we were told it built character. Screw the character! We wanted the victory!

Enjoy your day!

Presidential debates 2020 are over. Fortunately. I look forward to the day when the two candidates for President can stand face to face and discuss issues and problems without yelling at one another.

The boisterous one this year was Trump. Last night he was subdued compared to the first debate. However, he did increase in intensity as the debate wore on. Another half hour and he would have broken loose.

I thought Trump won. Eked out a close victory. Like a 2 point game in basketball. Such does not mean Biden was not good. Nor that he failed.

GOP pollster Frank Lunz thought Trump won. His words wise that explained his thoughts. Trump won the “final debate.” Biden “won the war.”

His conclusion is a marginal victory did nothing to move Trump forward. With the election only days away, Trump does not have  time to catch Biden. It is “virtually impossible for Trump to win.”

Some impressions.

Trump should stop saying he has done more for the blacks since Abraham Lincoln. He evidences his ignorance of American history when he does so. He fails to mention Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson. Trump could never equal the achievements the black community received when Johnson was President.

Trump could not wait to throw out the purported dirt he had on Biden and his son Hunter. Russian disinformation that several investigations have indicated there is no basis for. Not even if Giuliani says there is.

The public is not buying the story. Had it been in reverse with Trump and one of his children, the public would have believed it.

One of Biden’s best lines came after Trump had heaved the “dirt” on Biden. Biden looked into the cameras and told the American people: “You know who he is.” Intimating a corrupt individual lacking in character. A liar in most instances.

Trump’s record came into play. Biden raised many individually. Two hundred twenty thousand coronavirus deaths, coronavirus still not under control, vaccine–when?, the economy is tanked, 545 children whose parents cannot be found, alienated our allies, and pushed the Republican Party to the fringe.

Biden’s purported wrongdoing involved taking $3.5 million from Russia, doing nothing for blacks, etc. His list of sins significantly smaller than Trump’s.

Biden reflected vision in many of his responses. Trump, none.

Many of Trump’s responses bombastic. Factually, he had little to say other than constantly telling Biden he was corrupt.

Trump had no agenda, no detailed plans for what he was going to do if reelected. No policy was set forth for the next 4 years.

Biden on the other hand had detailed programs he was prepared to initiate and carry through. Trump responded each time that Biden had been in office 8 years with Obama and why didn’t he do them then.

Here is where Biden screwed up. His retort should have been that you Trump have been in office for the last 4 years. Why didn’t you do any of these things?

Each had a different approach in responding. Trump forceful and negative in tone. Biden calm and positive. I believe the American people are ready for a person with a calm positive thought out approach again.

The overall winner was the moderator. Kristen Welker did an outstanding job! She tamed the beast. Kept Trump in line.

At 7 this morning, I received a telephone call from Guy de Boer. Could I fill in at 8:48 for a guest who could not make it on his radio show. I’m always happy to do radio.

We spent our time discussing the debate.

Another record day for coronavirus yesterday! A record number of new cases. Reported were 77,640 new cases.

The CDC reported earlier in the week that coronavirus cases were surging in 75 percent of the country. Shouldn’t be. Trump says “we” have the problem under control.”

Enjoy your day!

It was refreshing to see and hear excepts of Obama’s talks in Philadelphia.  Even more refreshing to see a “President” deliver them.

Tonight, the debate. The final face to face encounter between Trump and Biden. Going to be interesting. The moderator has a mute button. Will she have to use it?

A primary concern of Americans is will we be safe. No one can argue that the past 4 years have not been tumultuous. People are afraid. Need to be reassured. Hopefully one of the two will leave us with the feeling “you will be safe.”

Americans should also ask themselves the question Reagan did during his first campaign: “Are you better off today than you were 4 years ago?”

Suddenly yesterday afternoon a special broadcast to the American people. National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe and FBI Director Christopher Wray. Iran and Russia are trying to interfere with the 2020 election.

Why such a message 13 days before the election? We have known about this definitely re Russia for 4 years and Iran a bit less.

The message we should have heard is that the U.S. has perfected a cyber retaliatory program to prevent such happenings and to punish any country that tries. Cyber intrusion calls for cyber retaliation.

Ratcliffe I would not trust on a stack of bibles. He is a Trump man true and true. Wray on the other hand I would. Especially in view of Trump’s recent statements that he is “frustrated” with Wray. The word is Trump intends to fire Wray after the election.

Throughout his time as FBI Director, Wray has exhibited character and dignity. He has refused to be pushed around. He has never been Trump’s lap dog.

This Hunter hard drive situation. It has been investigated and denied by several different authorities in the past.

Giuliani going to Delaware authorities to ask that arrests be made. Strange. Giuliani’s story should have gone directly to the FBI for investigation.

The Delaware authorities have turned the matter over to the FBI.

The FBI has previously investigated the matter and found no credible basis for the allegations being made.

Trump is desperate. The election less than 2 weeks away. He fears defeat. He is striking out in every way possible. Giuliani with another discredited story an example. Same old, same old.

Amy Coney Barrett. It is expected the Senate Committee will approve her nomination and in a few days her nomination will be taken up on the Senate floor. She will obviously be approved.

Today and the day of her full Senate approval are black days for America. My position has not deviated one iota. Barrett is not qualified for the high court.

My words will ring true over the course of the next year. At that point nothing can be done. Her job is for life.

Enjoy your day!

The last few days Trump has increased his attacks. On anyone and everyone. He realizes the end is near. The likelihood is he will be defeated.

The last 24 hours an example.

Donald has a new line in his rallies: American has to be made “great again, all over again.”

He fails to realize there was nothing seriously wrong when he first took office. He just had bullshitted the people into thinking so. His efforts to make America great again failed. Four years of failures. Coronavirus contributed. However had Trump dealt with the pandemic properly and timely, it would not have become the scourge it is.

The tax records the New York Times came up with are revealing. Bits and pieces coming to the public’s attention.

The tax records show one of Trump’s businesses International Hotel Management maintains a Chinese bank account. He had pursued expansive business projects in China.

The tax records also show the corporation paid $188,561 in taxes to China from 2013-2015.

In 2016, Trump was required to show international business interests in a disclosure form to the U.S. government. He failed to do so. No mention of his Chinese business activities nor the tax dollars he paid China.

Giuliani was once considered a great public servant. Much respected. Referred to as The World’s Mayor.

No more. Today he is one of Trump’s stooges. He frequently travels to Europe and other places in search of anti-Biden information that would be helpful to Trump defeating Biden in the election.

Don’t you find it amazing that it is always Giuliani that discovers interesting things adverse of Biden.

The Ukraine turned out to be a bust.

The Ukraine and the most recent expose appear to be Russian disinformation. Giuliani is gullible. As is Trump. Both fall into Putin’s disinformation schemes.

Recently, Giuliani has once again come up with Hunter taking a bribe and giving half the money to his father. At a time when Biden was Vice-President. It has been investigated by several agencies. All came up with nothing. A phony.

The story has been expanded in the past 48 hours.

Giuliani came up with what he claims is Hunter’s laptop. I think it is the information on the laptop that constitutes  the “corrupt” cry by Trump. The situation where Trump now insists Barr appoint a special prosecutor. And get it done before the election!

The drama involves “sexual depravity.” There is allegedly a photo on the laptop showing Hunter, his Dad and a 14 year old girl. A normal photo. Nothing sexual about it. It can be found on the internet.

However, Giuliani claims there are also numerous pictures of underage girls on the laptop.

Sex/pedophilia appear to be the cry. The item must be investigated. If such were said of Trump or Giuliani, who knows what actually might be discovered based on their past histories.

Giuliani took the laptop to the Delaware State Police this week and insisted they should investigate. Nothing heard from them yet. It seems no one wants to pursue the matter.

What is strange about this story is that there is little said in the media about it. I came across the story accidentally this morning.

Trump went after Barr yesterday. Trump bellowed on TV that he wants Barr to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate. Investigate what? The “corruption.” Related to the laptop. Trump failed to speak as to what exactly was involved.

Apparently other agencies have refused to deal with such an investigation, also.

Trump is desperate. The election is only 13-14 days away. He yells “appoint somebody.” He also says, “This is major corruption, and has to be known about before the election.”

As to Barr once again, Trump claims “Bill Barr is going to go down as either the greatest Attorney General in the history of the country, or he’s going to go down as…..a very sad situation.”

Barr has cut many corners as Attorney General. He has supported Trump improperly in all kinds of crazy schemes. His reputation and perhaps freedom may be on the line. He could possibly be subject to indictment for some misdeed should Trump lose.

I suspect the laptop story is too hot to handle even for Barr. He may be trying to redeem himself should Trump lose.

Will Trump lose? Can Trump lose? New York Times Opinion writer Ross Douthat in a piece published yesterday titled “Trump Is Giving Up,” wrote: “If he (Trump) does win his victory will have to be attributed to ‘the working of divine providence.”‘

Douthat also wrote, “We are watching an incumbent doing everything in his power to run up his own margin of defeat.”

Obama speaks tonight!

Whatever your political persuasion, please listen. He is not the phony Trump has been.

Obama is speaking in Philadelphia in a drive in scenario. The word is his talk will be directly to black voters. Black men specifically. The theme Your Vote Counts.

Political strategists claim Trump cannot win without Pennsylvania.  The race is presently close.

I suffered a strange experience last night.

My blog talk radio show was ready to go. It was 8 o’clock. The show at 9. I had a whole hour to kill.

I sat down in a comfortable chair and decided to watch TV for an hour.

I fell asleep.

I woke and Rachel Maddow was on. My sleep must have been heavy. I was not connecting. Looked at the clock. 9:06. Suddenly I realized my show! It was to have started at 9.

I rushed to my office. Started pressing the necessary numbers to hook up with my platform. I was still groggy. Took me 4 tries before I got it right.

It was now 9:10. I thought of not even doing the show. However I decided to give it a shot since most of those listening do it on the archived edition where it would not matter as much if I was 10 minutes late.

Between the rushing and still being groggy, my performance was not the best for the first few minutes. I explained I had fallen asleep, please excuse me, etc. I finally straightened out.

A terrible experience.

Enjoy your day!

Trump is losing it. The numbers seem to be stagnant against him. Each day his anger becomes more pronounced.

The man is argumentative and aggressive. He knows he is losing it. He is falling apart because of it.

Biden on he other hand remains relatively quiet. Subdued. He looks Presidential and acts Presidential. The same cannot be said of Donald.

Which man will be more attractive to American voters?

To me the answer is obvious. To many others obvious also. Those are the ones who have decided to vote for Trump or are leaning towards doing so.

Corporate America loves Trump. Why not? While the pandemic has been destroying much of America economically, Wall Street profits have soared.

It is a false economy when not all benefit. A nation cannot continue to survive where not everyone sits at the table.

Coronavirus keeps hitting America every day. Surges occurring in many States. Last wednesday, the number of new coronavirus cases in one day reached almost 60,000. Deaths on the rise in more than 20 States.

No end to the pandemic in sight.

An example of the rich getting richer. Morgan Stanley an example. In the 3 month quarter July through September the company reaped $2.7 billion in profits. A 25 percent raise from the same time last year.

Goldman Sachs did even better. Its quarterly profit was $3.7 billion.

These people are not waiting in food lines. These people can pay their bills.

I was rereading portions of COLLUSION: Secret Meetings, Dirty Money, and How Russia Helped Trump Win. Written by Luke Harding, published in 2017.

Came across an interesting passage I wish to share with you: “For Putin, lying was an operational KGB tactic. Russia’s twenty first century postmodern media strategy borrowed something from Lenin’s relativist ideas. The actual truth was unimportant. What was important was the Kremlin’s ‘sovereign’ version of it. This was energetically disseminated inside Russia and increasingly abroad via Russia Today (later, RT) and other state news platforms.”

When will it end? Is nothing sacred anymore? Pedophilia is a black mark the Catholic Church will have to live with till the end of time. It will remain a constant as the Inquisition has.

The incident about to be described hopefully a solitary incident. It will not be remembered long, but the act as wrong and sacriligious as pedophilia.

The place a small catholic Church in Paul River, Louisiana. The Sts. Peter and Paul Church. Its pastor a 38 year old priest.

The time this year.

The pastor engaged in sexual acts with 2 female parishioners on teh Church’s altar. What could be more disgusting!

The 3 have been arrested and charged with violation of a Louisiana obscenity statute.

The Church relatively small. Some 380 members. The congregation obviously upset, disturbed, etc. This sort of thing does not happen in a Catholic Church and involve a Catholic priest.

Archbishop Greg Almond traveled to the Church on two consecutive sundays. During the second visit, hew celebrated mass and reconsecrated the Church and its new altar.

The altar used was obviously contaminated. It was destroyed by fire. The new altar was Fromm a Catholic Church which closed the year before.

The Archbishop spoke words which he hoped would be helpful to the parishioners. He described what had occurred as “obscene. He was “shocked and angered.” He referred to the occurrence as “demonic.”. Claimed it was “sinful and totally unacceptable.”

What more can be said about an occurrence which is just not supposed to happen.

The priest was removed from his duties and prohibited from being a practicing Catholic priest forever. What happened with the criminal charges, I was not able to ascertain.

The informal Fantasy Fest was to have begun this past weekend. I am sure it did. However, I do not know what happened. I am self quarantined. I telephoned many local friends as to what occurred.

No one could tell me. They were either self quarantined also, or did not waste their time attending the bogus Fantasy Fest being spearheaded by some swinger groups.

The Citizen was devoid of any information, except for a brief comment in today’s Citizens’ Voice section: “Dear tourists that are still planning a Fantasy Fest event: go home! You are not welcome.”

Spells out the position of locals. Except of course for the bars, restaurants and hotels. Their greed is manifesting itself during the crisis.

Tonight Tuesday talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. Lots for me to rant and rave about. A quick moving half hour. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

I continuously write about the impending food shortage. Impending may not be the correct word. The problem is already here. On a course to get worse. Extremely bad.

What follows is an update concerning the problem.

A federal judge in Washington blocked Trump’s effort to end food stamps for 700,000 unemployed. In a scathing ruling, Chief Judge Beryl Howell called Trump’s move “arbitrary and capricious.”

Judge Howell wrote he considers the food stamp program a “food safety net.” Especially so during a pandemic which has sent unemployment soaring and increased the number of people dependent on food stamps.

He noted that the pandemic had added more than 6 million to the food stamp program.

I do not believe Judge Howell is cut from the same cloth as Trump’s recent federal court appointees. Were he, 6 million plus would be starving today. Yes, starving. Call it for what it is.

The food shortage developing in the U.S. is slight in comparison to some other areas in the world. Six smaller nations combined face famine as Covid-19 ravages their countries.

People involved total 55.5 million. The nations are Yemen, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Somalia.

The international charity Oxam reported the preceding in a recent article titled: Later Will Be Too Late.

The report further spelled out that the people of these 6 nations are presently living in severe to extreme levels of food insecurity or even famine conditions. Due largely to the fallout from the coronavirus epidemic.

The middle class gets smaller and smaller. Its downward slide seems not to stop. Half the working population in the U.S. make less than $3,000 a month.

The Social Security Wage Statistics for 2019 indicate the median yearly salary is $34,248.45. Divided by 12 months indicates one half of American workers made less than $34,000 a year. Which when divided by 12 months amounts to $2,854.00.

Try living on it!

Not a living wage. Not even a survival wage.

Such is the reason why the middle class has been and is getting smaller.

Those earning the $34,000 per year seem to accumulate more and more debt. They borrow from Peter to pay Paul. Run up their credit cards to survive.

Which means this group of America is in serious debt. Not as bad however as the U.S. itself.

The U.S. budget deficit tripled this past week to a record $3.1 trillion.

We the people are expected to live within our means. Not the U.S. government. You may be shocked. The U.S. spends 90 percent more than it collects in taxes.

The $3.1 trillion is not all the U.S. owes. There is something called the “off balance sheet obligations.” The “off sheet” carries an additional $100 trillion in obligations. Such “obligations” include $27.1 trillion for coronavirus debt.

The U.S. is never going to be out of debt.

Third world countries and autocratic leaders jail or kill leaders of the political opposition.Trump wants to jail the opposition. He has not yet suggested killing anyone.

He thought Hillary should have been jailed in 2016.

In the present campaign, he has either said or encouraged those at his rallies that Michigan’s Governor Gretchen Whitmer be jailed. Rally attendees in Michigan last week were shouting “lock her up.” Trump smiling and encouraging them.

In a Nevada rally this past week, Trump said Joe Biden was “corrupt.” Again he smiled in an encouraging fashion while those at the rally shouted “lock him up.”

Trump would be defecating in his pants were those shouting at rallies that Trump be “locked up.”

Trump’s four years have not been the best of times for our country and people. If anyone could screw something up, Trump could and did. He will go down in history as our worst President.

Hopefully, the election will mark the end of the Trump era. Let all of us then sit back and think…..Thanks for the memories…..No more!

Enjoy your day!

Key West smartly cancelled this year’s Fantasy Fest several months ago. Some merchants, primarily bar owners and hotels, were not happy about it. They were losing money and money had become more important to them than good health.

The bar owners especially saw the need for something to replace Fantasy Fest. An informal fantasy fest 10/16-24.

The City said it would not be involved in any way. No additional police, etc.

The informal group is planning to hold some of the usual festive parties under different names.

Local businessmen have been advertising this week’s informal gathering as far away as Tampa.

Doesn’t anyone care about staying healthy, not placing themselves in harm’s way?

So what is happening? This is the first weekend of the informal fantasy fest.

I am into roughly 240 days of self-quarantine. Not on Duval Friday or Saturday nights. My local friends I called to find out what they had seen were wise also. Few went. No way were they going to expose themselves to the virus.

I have piecemealed information from various sources. This is what has been discovered.

Earlier this week, a bare assed woman was sitting on the tiger in front of City Hall. Pictures were being taken. Some by professional photographers it is assumed.

Not one official person tried to stop the exposition.

The  City announced that public nudity and body painting would not be allowed.

Apparently a big group is coming down from Tampa. Primarily swingers. They visited for Fantasy Fest a couple of years go and began a huge furor.

The swingers are returning. Someone mentioned they would not be kissing.

Additionally, some one from the Tampa area advised they planned on being “completely non compliant.” No masks, social distancing, etc.

Hotels and guest houses doing a booming business. Most close to full occupancy. Rates at the better hotels $800 a night. Season rates! Shocking people are paying that much.

Someone familiar with Key West happenings mentioned a guest house in one of the “poorer neighborhoods” advertising rooms beginning at $500.

Some interesting observations.

A local described Key West this week as a “Covid Carnival.”

Dr. John Norris is Chief of Staff at the Lower Keys Medical Center. He is also my primary care physician.

He was quoted in a recent interview. The good doctor is much concerned with the virus. He said, “Fantasy Fest is no Sesame Street…..Risque behavior is too risky…..We don’t have anything like a Covid hotel.”

This informal fantasy fest opened its festival party week the same day as the newest coronavirus  report came out. This past week, 50 of the 52 States experienced a rise in coronavirus cases. The highest number since July.

Total number of cases now exceeds more than 8 million. Deaths 218,600.

Infectious disease experts warn the U.S. could be facing a “substantial third wave.” I am not an expert. However, I believe we never left the first wave. This “third wave” is actually the ongoing first wave.

Some parents are whacky. Fail to understand the consequences of one person being affected with coronavirus. This group is adamantly opposed to mask wearing by their children.

The problem has arisen in Monroe County schools. Key West is a part of Monroe County.

I suspect the parents have not made themselves aware of the consequences if school children do not wear masks. Monroe County has decided children MUST wear masks.

The parental furor, though not substantial, would make one think the children were being asked to donate a healthy kidney.

The parents’ argument is twofold.

First, the Constitutional rights of their children and themselves are being violated. The second reason a medical one.The claim being made that wearing a face mask more that 6 hours is injurious to a child’s health. Comparable to a child wearing a dirty diaper for 6 hours.

A parent’s tears will not bring back to life the child of the parent opposing mask wearing.

Harsh, but true.

Trump ways are a consistent pattern. It took us 4 years to discover his reactions.

Every time a less than good situation arises affecting Trump, his shout is “bias…..deep Democratic ties…..unfair.”

Spoken by the President with bravado.

The next and last Presidential debate’s moderator is NBC’s Kristen Welker. Trump does not like her for the quoted reasons stated. He said however with further bravado, “I’ll still play the game.”

Yesterday’s Citizens’ Voice contained the following comment: “Just because you say it louder doesn’t make it any more correct. Saying the same untruth repeatedly doesn’t make it not a lie.”

Syracuse football. Another bad day for the Orange. Nevertheless, we still love you “Cuse!

Now to the down and dirty. Syracuse lost yesterday to Liberty University 38-21.  Leaves Syracuse 1-4 for the season thus far.

On the other hand, Liberty is 4-0.

Liberty has come a long way!

The school a Christian evangelical university. One of its founders in 1971 Jerry Falwell. An extremist Republican. To the far far right.

The Republican right itself has come a long way. Today they control the Presidency, Senate, Supreme Court, and if the trend continues, national football. The Alabama of tomorrow!

Enjoy your Sunday!

I am sick of politics! The political junkie has had it. Felt the need for a day off.

The sole topic today will be a history of cockfighting. A bit like politics. Both roosters going at each others throats to bloody the other.

Cockfighting is the sport of ancients, Presidents and common man. Though illegal, it is still considered a sport.

Roosters are trained to be killers, to hate other roosters. Their natural spurs are altered by adding on razor shop metal ones. The roosters are then ready to fight to the death.

Cockfighting is referred to as a blood sport because of the preceding.

Cockfighting had it’s beginnings sometime around 400-500 B.C. It was considered a sport.

The Chinese, Persians and Greeks were the first. Rooster owners were considered sportsmen and trainers. Much like horse owners and their trainers of today.

Spectators involved. They paid an entry fee to watch the fight and gamble on its outcome.

Three Presidents participated in and enjoyed the sport. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln.

Over the centuries, the sport became illegal. Primarily in the 20th century. All States ban cockfighting.

In 2007, George W. Bush signed a federal law banning cockfighting.

Both State and Federal law carry severe jail time.

Two reasons are put forth as to why cockfighting is philosophically  illegal. First, it is gambling. Second, animal cruelty.

Key West and the lower Keys historically have been a home to the sport.

Roosters and chickens today walk around freely.

During the 1800’s, chickens became big business in Cuba. Breeders purchased varieties of Filipino Fowl from Spain. The Cubans created their own breed called Cubalayo. Their size and aggressiveness made them perfect for cockfighting.

In 1860, the Ten Years’ War began in Cuba. Cuba’s fight for freedom. Many Cubans moved to the United States. They brought their love of cockfighting with them.

Then came the cigar industry. Its success in Key West brought more Cubans and cockfighting chickens.

When Cubans migrated to Key West, an insufficient food supply existed. There was no U.S. 1 or railroad. Ergo, the Cubans also brought chickens for human consumption.

The chickens provided eggs and meat. They reproduced easily. Roosters and chickens are very prolific. The gestation period 29 days.

As Key West became more connected with the rest of the world and with the advent of local markets and supermarkets carrying chicken products, there was no need to raise chickens for food.

Most people stopped raising chickens. They freed them to wander wherever.

The chickens learned quickly how to survive on their own. They ate native insects, lizards, scorpions and worms.

Many believe the roaming chickens have also provided a benefit to the community. It is claimed they have minimized Key West’s cockroach population.

Key West outlawed cockfighting in the 1970’s. Cubalayo chickens were no longer of value. Most owners put the Cubalayos on the street to fend for themselves.

Roosters and chickens roamed freely. Nature took its course. Sex abounded. A chicken’s gestation time is 29 days. It did not take long for Key West to have chickens galore.

The marriage of the food chickens with Cubalayp ones resulted in what today are known as Gypsy chickens. The Gypsys are the ones running around Key West today.

Gypsys are a protected species.

The outlawing of cockfights has not eliminated the sport. Merely minimized it. There are still those who like to breed and train. Others who enjoy making money sponsoring cockfights. And those who enjoy watching and gambling as to the outcome of a fight.

Cockfights therefore do exist. Generally outside of Key West. In mangroves and other isolated places.

In 2017, a drug raid in Ramrod Key discovered 250 cockfighting chickens and fighting paraphernalia. The owners/operators of the cocks and fighting paraphernalia were arrested.

For some reason, present day cockfighting appears to be moving out of the Keys to mid Florida. In 2019, a raid took place in Summerland, Florida. Summerland being in Marian County. Fifty roosters were discovered.

The only place in Key West that I am aware of that had regular cock fights was the Gato House at 1209 Virginia Street. I could not ascertain the time frame. I doubt it could have been when the Gato family was residing there.

Gato moved out. Donated the house for a hospital. He had one condition. The hospital had to be named after his wife Mercedes. The Mercedes Hospital came into being.

The Mercedes Hospital closed down around 1942. It was vacant for a while. Then it was purchased and turned into a guest house. Today an apartment building.

The Gato House is the place where Key West’s most famous ghost resides. The hospital’s matron Maria Valdez de Gutsens. It is claimed she still walks the rooms and hallways of the Gato House.

The Gato House has a backyard. It was also constructed in such fashion as to have a center court. The cockfights probably occurred after the hospital closed. During the years the building was run down and overgrown with weeds.

Hope you enjoyed.

Have a nice day!