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Dangerous Sally.

Now a Category 2 hurricane knocking the hell out of Louisiana. Never underestimate the power of a woman. Sally is behaving like the wrath of a woman scorned.

One problem, however. No one scorned Sally. She just up and took off. Now a wild woman beating up Louisiana and shortly several other states.

Sally came to everyone’s attention roughly 10 days ago. A small storm of the coast of Africa. Nothing to worry about. Probably would never take form. Weather people doubted it would even become a tropical storm.

A day or 2 later, might form. Not to worry, however. At best a tropical storm and would never hit the United States. It would turn north and blow itself out somewhere over the Atlantic.

Never turned. Kept coming. At one point, the cone coming straight over Key West.

Not to worry. Merely some wind and rain.

Then Sally started moving south. Looked like it was going to completely miss the Keys. Not so. The Keys were on the north edge of the cone. She would brush Key West. A bit of rain and some wind.

Sally was in no hurry. She lumbered along at her own speed.

Key West had 1 1/2 days of heavy rain, wind and lightning. The rain the worst. A record rainfall in one day: 11.3 inches. Previous record a mere 2.5 inches.

Sally is carrying a lot of water. And respectfully, pissing where ever she goes. Rain, rain, and more rain!

Sally turned into the Gulf and headed for Louisiana and Mississippi.

The word was she “might” become a Category 1 when she made landfall. Then upped to a 2.

Sally hit Louisiana as a Category 2.

Sally is beating up the land areas with rain. Big time rain! Which means big time flooding. Rainfall expected to be 9-16 inches. In some places, as high as 20 inches.

I share Sally with you once again because she impresses me. Very much so. Her starting off the coast of Africa as a bunch of wind that would probably not even form. Some weather people thought she would dissipate.

Sally fooled everyone! Typical female. She did what she wanted

I watched the Middle East Peace Accord signing at the White House today. Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain involved.

Trump is touting this signing as a major peace agreement that solves Middle East problems.

Once again, Trump misleads.

Peace in the Middle East requires the Palestinians. Palestinians not involved means in reality the agreement is insignificant.

The real problem has been the Palestinians and Israelites. Other Arabs already like each other.

Israel was not a party to the agreement, did not attend the ceremony, and said in effect the agreement did nothing to bring peace to the Middle East.

The Peace Agreement of no value for 2 reasons. The first the absence of the Palestinians. The other if it were so important, why were the UAE and Bahrain represented by their foreign ministers as opposed to their Presidents?

Trump made a big deal of the signing. Smiling broadly. It was his show. He took credit for “bring the parties together.”

Trump’s tongue hangs out for the Nobel Peace Prize.

I was discussing with a friend on Skype Catholic education. Brought to mind my high school days.

A few years back I wrote an article concerning the experience and influence it had o me.

Elizabeth Ann Bayley was born August 28, 1774. To a wealthy family. She was the founder of the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph. Some warm reflections from those days. My teenage days. High school. The Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph taught me. Henceforth to be referred to as Sisters of Charity.

Utica Catholic Academy.

My high school was in Utica, NY. Stood in the back of a large lot next to St. John’s Church on John Street.

The building tiny. Three stories high. The height larger than the width of the building.

Today, the school is gone. The land the school stood on a parking lot for St. John’s Church.

The heads of Sisters of Charity were capped with big white head coverings. Looked like wings. Body attire, dark blue ankle length dresses. Tied around their waists, extremely large and heavy appearing rosary beads.

The Sisters lived in an old Victorian building one block away. Today, a deserted lot.

The Sisters were excellent teachers. Disciplinarians. In teaching and personal matters. A sister would not hesitate storming into the boys’ bathroom if she thought there was smoking going on.

I got caught. On more than one occasion. Learned from one nun as she twisted my ear: The cigarette is a dirty weed and from it the Devil doth proceed.

Didn’t do much good. I smoked for many years.

One of the nuns had a distinct impact on my life. Sister Gertrude. A short stout elderly woman. A craggy beautiful face.

She discovered my love for history. Did everything to encourage it. She is also the reason I went to Manhattan College. She pushed Manhattan. Her cousin was a Christian Brother and Director of Athletics.

Latin was required in high school. I took three years. Thought it was stupid, but Sister Gertrude insisted. During my life time, I discovered those three years of Latin did more for me than any course I studied at any age.

Elizabeth Ann Bayley was born an Episcopalian. Married at 19. Became known as Elizabeth Seton. Bore 5 children. Her husband died ten years after their marriage.

Elizabeth was broke. Her husband had become ill some time before he died. Their money was gone. The family was stuck in Italy where they had gone believing the Italian weather would be good for her husband’s health.

Some Catholic Italian friends helped. She was impressed with their kindness and charity. Studied the Catholic religion. Became a Catholic.

Catholicism was neither popular nor respected in those days. Even her Episcopalian family deserted her.

Elizabeth returned to the United States. The Baltimore area. She became involved with helping the poor and needy. Especially women.

She founded the first Catholic school in the United States. Turned out to be the beginning of the parochial school system in the United States.

A group of women flocked to Elizabeth to assist her in the good works being performed. Elizabeth felt they should become an established nunnery order within the Catholic church. She pursued and accomplished the goal. Elizabeth founded the first female apostolic community in the United States. The Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph.

In 1975, the Pope recognized her commitment and success to humanity. She was ordained a Saint of the Catholic Church. The first American born to be so honored.

Enjoy your day!

Amazon…..future here today.

Coronavirus has changed the way we live in many respects. One, the way we shop.

Prior to the virus, many shopped over the internet. Ordering and delivery quick.

With so many self quarantining and others reluctant to go out often, internet ordering has significantly increased. It has become the wave of the day.

Convenient without question. I have been self-quarantined 190 plus days. From ordering nothing over the internet prior to the virus, I now order everything. When the virus passes, I will continue to do so. I like quick order shopping!

Amazon perhaps the most successful company in internet sales. Amazon was before the virus and is even more so today.

Amazon’s faith that the game of shopping will continue is contained in Amazon’s recent announcement. Amazon announced it was hiring 100,000 new full and part time employees in the U.S. and Canada this month. All jobs will pay at least $15 per hour.

Amazon further announced 100 new buildings will open to assist in operations such as fulfillment centers, delivery stations, and sorting centers.

Amazon’s announcement also included a list of available jobs and cities where located.

No screwing around! The way to get things done!

Sally is having a field day. Still only a tropical storm, it is slow moving. Has not reached Louisiana and Mississippi yet. In about 2 days.

Rain a big problem. I reported yesterday Key West had 9 1/2 inches of rain as Sally slowly moved over. A record. Hard to believe.

Record rainfall is going to happen in Louisiana and Mississippi. Projected at 9-16 inches. In some places, as much as 20 inches.

Sally will only be a Category 1 when it makes landfall. Yet will do immense flooding damage.

Trump and Netanyahu are buddies. Close. Two bullies. Birds of a feather. Enamored with each other.

Israel is experiencing a surge in coronavirus cases. Netanyahu is ordering a 3 week country wide shutdown. Everything!

Can you see Trump doing any such thing?

Netanyahu placed Israel in a shutdown this past spring. Helped. However as Netanyahu now admits, he opened the schools and businesses too soon. Then allowed the virus to spread unchecked.

Trump never ordered a country wide shut down. He lacked the courage to do it. Concerned the American people would be against it and him as a result.

As we have learned from past experiences, if a leader shares a plight with his people they can handle it.

Trump passed the buck. Left it to the states to decide and then criticized them if they did the right thing.

Hundreds of thousands of Canadian snowbirds spend their winters in Florida. They are not coming this year. Their fear of coronavirus the primary reason. A secondary one is they are waiting for the U.S./Canadian border to open.

NBC and MSNBC’s Kasie Hunt is a brilliant news commentator.

Her talent continues to be recognized by her employers. Commencing September 21, she will host the 5 am lead in show to Morning Joe. The show will be titled Way Too Early.

Congratulations to Kasie on her promotion. She has been moving rapidly up the ladder. Only 35 years old.

Immigrants more than 100 years ago did not have the assistance provided today to those entering the U.S. for the first time.

I read yesterday the story of an Italian immigrant family in 1900. The mother fed her family for years from livestock and vegetables raised on her property. She did not know her husband’s checks had to be cashed.

Many do not wear masks because the President does not. Many do not social distance because the President does not.

Many look to the President for leadership. Direction. Trump fails to provide it. As a result, they do as Trump does. Ignore the law. Sort of if it’s good for the President, it’s good enough for us.

Trump has been campaigning in Nevada the past few days.

Nevada has a 50 person limit for gatherings. Several of Trump’s rallies had to be cancelled or moved. Nevada’s law also providesthat peaceful protests are exempt. Trump came up with labeling his rallies peaceful protests and continued his rallies.

No respect for rules. If he has no respect, his people will not. Such is the case.

There was a peaceful protest in a warehouse in Henderson, Nevada over the weekend. Henderson and the warehouse had to be because Trump was denied permission to held his rally in 5 other places that had the 50 percent limit.

A good sized crowd. However one that in no way filled the warehouse.

Masks. The crowd seated behind Trump all wore masks. Planned. The larger crowd to the front wore no masks.

No distancing either behind or in front of Trump.

I don’t know how large the warehouse is. However, the people to the front were crowded in the front rows.

A camera caught the scene for a brief moment. Looked like at least 70 percent of the warehouse to Trump’s front was row after row of empty seats. A camera caught the absence for a brief second.

Donald is unhappy about coronavirus reports emanating from the CDC which contradict positions Trump has taken or intends to take. Trump has ordered the CDC to filter reports first through his people. He wants the reports scrutinized from my perspective to prevent the truth from being disclosed.

Hiding the truth nothing new with Trump’s administration.

One of Trump’s buddies is Roger Stone. Recall he pardoned Stone after Stone was convicted. A few days before Stone was to enter jail.

Stone said yesterday that Trump should declare martial law if he loses the election.

Trump mentioned over the weekend he thought he was entitled to a third term. He assumes he will win a second term.

William Hackley’s baby apparently has mended. Hackley wrote in his diary on this day in 1855: “Babe is three months old today and is quite well, weighs 14 pounds.”

I wish he would tell us the name of the baby. Is it Babe?

Enjoy your day!

Sad stories, sorrow seem to permeate our lives in recent times.

Today’s involves a family caught in the Oregon wildfire.

Watt Tofte was 13 years old. His grandmother Peggy Mosso 71.

To avoid the flames, they jumped in a car. The fire fighters found their remains. Young Watt with his dog sitting in his lap. Peggy in the driver’s seat. Very little left of the three.

Angela, Watt’s mother  and Peggy’s daughter, saw them in the burning car. She tried to help. She was badly burned. Remains in critical condition.

Chris Tofte is Angela’s husband, Chris’ father, and Peggy’s son in law.

When a break occurred in the fire, Chris was driving down a road looking for his family. He saw a badly burned woman walking along the road. He stopped. He did not recognize the woman. He told her he was looking for his wife and son.

“I am your wife.”

Sally a surprise! Sally the tropical storm that was over Key West all day and night yesterday. Sally still with us this morning with an occasional rainfall.

Early morning, I went on the porch. Everything was calm. It is true…..The calm before the storm. Seen it before. No wind. Leaves not moving. Neither hot nor cold. I thought the day might be a difficult one.

The rain came down over a long period of time. Sally took breaks. Big time lightning accompanied the storm. Constant wind gusts.

Sally was to pass Key West on her northern side. It did. However Sally took a rest. Did not move as fast for a while. And unloaded herself on Key West.

The reason so much water, etc. dumped on Key West is that the wind power moving Sally was coming up from the south. Key West was on the northern side of the storm towards where the wind rain was pushing through.

Note Sally merely a tropical depression. Not even a hurricane.

Big time flooding! The news says it was a record rainfall. Nine and one half inches in one day. The previous high was 2 1/2 inches. A biggie!

Everything flooded.

My street. Street and sidewalks under water. Water came up to the first step of the porch.

I heard a lot of yelling and screaming. I went on the porch to see what was happening. Four kids, under 10, were swimming and playing in the street. Bathing suits and all.

Lisa’s home on Duncan almost flooded. The water came up to the lip of her entrance. Another inch and the first floor would have had water throughout.

People were walking barefoot on Duval. Someone kayaking at Duval and Front Streets. Driving next to impossible.

Sally moving again. On her way to Louisiana where it is expected she will be a Category 1 when she makes landfall.

Though rarely, storms sometimes sit for a few days over an area. Recall Dorian.

I remember another tropical storm 10-12 years ago. Forget its name.

It came and sat over Key West for a week.

My house was boarded up. Sandbags at the driveway entrance and front of the house, also. A small door left unboarded at the back of the house. My only way in and out.

Electric power went. Dark for several days. I had flashlights and candles. That’s it. No TV. Reading sucked. I recall thinking at the time it had to be impossible for Abraham Lincoln to have studied law by candle light.

Got a break on the fourth day. The eye was over us. Calm. I met Lisa and family at Jack Flats for a sandwich. Then home before the eye finished passing over us.

I mentioned Chuck Yeager and Orville Wright yesterday. Yeager was a World War II ace. Shot down 12 German planes, 5 in one day. He also flew in Vietnam.

My sister Joan called me last night. Her now deceased former husband Major George McCarty was Yeager’s wing man in Vietnam.

A special fund was established years ago to pay the medical bills of 9/11 first responders. The Treasury Department controlled expenditures. Or at least was supposed to.

It was discovered this past week that since 2017 millions of dollars were sent somewhere by Treasury. Not to pay the bills of the first responders  No one knows where it went.

I wrote in a 2018 blog that trillions could not be accounted for in the Department of Defense/Pentagon budgets.

The 2016 “lost dollars” were discovered by the Inspector General. Totaled $6.5 trillion.

We never heard anything more about it.

In 2018, Ernst and Young and other private firms were hired to audit the books of the Department of Defense.

Ernest and Young reported they could not complete the audit. Their report indicated the records were riddled with so many bookkeeping deficiencies, irregularities, and errors that a reliable audit was impossible. Trillions involved again, though actual number could not be ascertained.

I suspected at the time that a significant portion had been paid to Afghanistan warlords. Also that money might be changing hands as part of military-industrial complex activities.

Oh, the miss spending of government!

Those responsible get away with it. Contrasted with the 90 percent who are in economic straights. Steal a buck and go to jail!

Poor Syracuse! My Syracuse! Lost to North Carolina 31-6.

Syracuse could have won. Blew it in the last quarter. Syracuse was down 7-3 at half time. Still in the game. Ten-six at the end of the 3rd quarter. Still looking good. Note North Carolina was a 22 point favorite.

The fourth quarter a disaster. North Carolina scored 3 touchdowns for 21 points. Syracuse none.

I suspect a tough season ahead.

May Johnson’s diary entry for this day in 1896 gives an indication how dating was back then.

May wrote: “Mr. E asked me if we wouldn’t all come down to the boat tomorrow. I said yes if Mrs. Irene could go, he was mad because I wanted a chaperone, said it wasn’t necessary, he don’t know Key West people.”

Enjoy your Sunday!

“They died together holding hands and walked into Heaven holding hands.” Words spoken by the son of a couple who recently died from coronavirus.

Johnny and Cathy Darlene Peoples were married 48 years. Resided in Rowan County, North Carolina. A close union. One son, 9 grandchildren.

They died within 4 minutes of each other holding hands.

They came down with coronavirus at the same time. Immediately into intensive care. Died 30 days later.

They were in separate rooms. The nurses knew death was imminent for both. Wheeled the wife’s bed into her husbands room. Placed the beds next to each other. Joined their hands together.

The husband died first. The wife 4 minutes later.

Their son said, “They died together holding hands and walked into Heaven holding hands.”

God could not have planned it better.

Wildfires have been destroying California and parts of Oregon and Washington for 3 weeks. Trump has basically ignored the 3 states. No federal aid for the natural disaster so far has been authorized by the President.

Some reporters suggest it is Trump getting even with California and its Governor Newsom. The reasons appear twofold. Newsom has been critical of Trump’s handling of the pandemic and California is a Democratic state that undoubtedly will vote for Biden in November.

Trump’s attitude appears to be why should I help them if they’re not going to help me. He forgets that once elected, he is President of ALL the people.

This is the third consecutive year California has had to endure these wildfires. Experts already are saying this year’s is the third worst ever. If it continues as it is, might end up the worst.

Trump says California fails to care for the forests as they should. He says, “You gotta clean your floor…..sweep the ground.” In other words, sweep up the branches and leaves on the ground.

Experts do not agree with Trump. The problem is climate caused, they say. The last 3 summers in California have been unusually hot. This year the summer heat the worst. Some days 120-130 degrees.

No rain, of course. The trees got dry. Heat in the high temperature levels causes lightning. Big time multiple lightning strikes. The lightning sparks the dry trees. Such the cause of the fires.

More raking is not going to solve the problem.

Finland had wildfire problems in past years. They were able to solve it. Trump spoke with Finland’s President and shared his theory that the unraked ground was the cause. Trump said Finland’s President said the same thing caused the Finland fires. They raked and no more fires.

Finland’s President issued a statement saying he had said no such thing to Trump.

An interesting side point is that most of California’s forests are federally managed. Trump may not be aware. I am sure the feds have neither raked or swept the woodlands they manage.

Governor Cuomo deserves much credit. He brought what was an out of control coronavirus epidemic under control. Conceded, Cuomo at first did not recognize the danger involved. He quickly learned however and took control.

New York is in great shape.This is he 4th consecutive week that the coronavirus infection rate is under one percent. Seven tenths of a point in the City and nine tenths of a point in the State.

Cuomo attacked the virus with a vengeance. He went to war. Not in words. Actually. Got the job done.

Trump talks a good game and accomplishes nothing, unless you consider 193,000 dead so far success.

The comments to this blog are a story unto themselves. I have some very astute intelligent readers and some much less than. They all write. Argue with each other.

I love it!

Some days the comments are more interesting than my blog.

A comment last week brought to my attention that Chuck Yeager and Orville Wright had met. How could it be, I thought. Orville and Wilbur flew for the first time in 1903. Yeager a World War II ace who was the first to break the sound barrier.

Turns out Orville lived to 1948.

They were together on two instances. For lunch at a 1945 air show. Then again sometime between the end of World War II and 1948 when Orville died.

It is said Orville was impressed that Yeager had broken the sound barrier. Amazing! Yeager had to be impressed that Orville and his brother built and flew the first airplane.

Enjoy your day!

Before some of you get your dander up, the words are not mine. They are however those of another Catholic. Catherine O’Neill.

O’Neill is the President of Catholics for Trump, an authorized Trump campaign committee. She is the daughter of the major Trump donor George O’Neill, Jr. He is the one who helped connect Russian spy Maria Butina to prominent Republican leaders, including at events surrounding the National Prayer Breakfast.

Catherine O’Neil recently tweeted: “You cannot be Catholic and be a Democrat — pass it on.”

As in the United States and many other countries, there is a political split within the Catholic Church. Right and liberal. The right mostly far right. Conservative to the extreme.

They would rather concern themselves with selecting Supreme Court Justices than feeding the poor and caring for the needy.

A member of the Trump Campaign Committee recently said, “You’ve got a non-Catholic in Donald Trump who’s delivering on Catholic social teaching and principles.”

He deludes himself.

I am opposed to religion’s participation in government. Religion belongs in churches and not Washington.

What happened to Jesus’ words that there is room for everyone in my Father’s house?

The hero of the Catholic right and Evangelists is Trump. What about the Tenth Commandment? Thou shalt not kill. How can Trump’s responsibility for the death of thousands in the coronavirus scandal not affect even Republican judgments?

The opening prayer at the recent Republican Convention was given by New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan. He did not belong there. A priest with much fewer credentials fine. However not one the leaders of the Catholic Church in the U.S.

The Catholic Bishops in America is located in Washington, D.C. From which it lobbies for their beliefs. My problem is their beliefs are not that of all Catholics. I don’t think even half. What the group lobbies for is not consistent with my beliefs.

The Catholic right is opposed to Pope Francis. They are trying to take him down. The Catholic Bishops group among those trying.

On the Board of O’Neill’s Catholics for Trump sits Newt Gingrich. A minor player in politics today. A wannabe who seeks the power he had 30 years ago. Gingrich’s wife is the U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican. So appointed by Trump.

Neither friends of Francis.

Catholics for Trump do not support Francis’ Papacy either. On the organization’s website is a letter penned by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, the discredited former Papal Nuncio to the U.S. who previously called for Francis’ resignation. The Archbishop is widely heralded by many right wing Catholics as leading the resistance to Francis’ Papacy.

Lurking in the background is Steve Bannon. He wants to upset the established Catholic government and replace it with a new one. He seeks the dumping of Francis also.

Trump beams. The Catholic Church supports me! He says he is the best President the Catholic Church has ever had.

Excuse my repetitiveness. I oppose any religion’s intrusion into or active participation in government. It could lead to a modern day Spanish Inquisition. Don’t say no. Did you ever think we would have a President like Trump?

Today is a solemn one in American history. Represents a modern day attack on American citizens on American shores.

September 11, 2001.

It could happen again. World wide every country is mad at us. Especially China, North Korea and Iran. China and North Korea are capable of dropping ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads on our cities. I question whether we have the defensive capacity to thwart those missiles.

Enjoy your day!

Earlier this week when Trump’s “losers” and “suckers” came out re the military, I did not think there was anything worse that Trump could say or do.

I was wrong! Big time! Sixty to eighty thousand deaths worth.

Trump knew early on concerning the dangerous and deadly aspects of coronavirus. Instead, he told us the virus was nothing, would pass, “was going to disappear,” and would “all work out fine.”

His silence and malfeasance in handling this monstrous problem has resulted in thousands of deaths. For which he is solely responsible!

It is fortunate Bob Woodward was permitted to tape his meetings with Trump. No way Trump can lie his way out of this one.

Carl Bernstein wrote that what occurred was the “greatest Presidential felony.” Too bad Trump cannot be indicted for negligence or something similar for his failure to make us aware and for the lies he told.

It is absolutely amazing! Trump knew weeks before the first confirmed U.S. death that coronavirus was “more deadly” than the flu. Instead of being truthful with the American people, he played it down publicly.

His excuse for not telling was he did not want to “panic” the American people. He kept the knowledge.

The experts say that if Trump had warned us in early February, a strict shutdown, consistent messaging to wear masks and social distancing, could have been imposed nationally. Thousands of Americans who died from the virus would still be alive. Instead, he sent many Americans blindly to their deaths.

If a stimulus bill does come out this week, it will not contain the $1,200 stimulus as the last major bill did. It will however protect corporations/employers against workers compensation claims for employees injured on the job because of the virus. Coverage is remotely possible under a number of conditions which will be for most impossible to have complied with.

A mangling of workers compensation laws.

This day a big one in my lifetime experience. September 10. Irma hit the Keys Septembr 10, 2017.

Taught me respect for nature. Gave me the opportunity to experience the goodness of people.

Thank God for Jean and Joe Thornton who housed me for 12 days in their home in Birmingham. Me and several other evacuees from the storm.

In recent years, I have concluded that China had moved way ahead of the U.S. militarily. China also swiped one of our biggest businesses. Recall Trump said he would stop American companies from moving to foreign shores.

The Chinese company Haier bought General Electric in 2016. Manufacturing is still done in the U.S. However, GE’s home office is in China.

In a Miami Herald article yesterday, the paper asked where did all the tourists go? The paper’s answer: Over the weekend, they were in the Keys.

Terrific. Brought their coronavirus germs to us. Partied. Had a good time. Left not appreciating what they had done.

All because public officials from Trump down suck up to businesses. Especially bar and restaurant owners. They either failed to pass protective laws, or enforce the laws already passed.

Enjoy your day!

I did it again. I was finishing the blog and lost it! Frustrating! I am going to redo. However, each topic a bit shorter.

Donald Trump has been nominated for the 2021 Nobel Peace Price. Would you believe!

Alfred Nobel must be turning over in his grave.

Trump was nominated for his assistance with the Israel-UAE accord.

A tweet this morning from a Middle East person says well what most must think about the nomination: Since when does the Nobel Peace Prize go to “politicians who invite Racism, Civil War, Fraud, Tax Evasions, alleged serial rapists…..You get the drift.”

Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen was a guest on the Rachel Maddow show last night. He was asked what Trump might do if he lost. Cohen says Trump would resign. Pence would become President. Pence would pardon Trump.

One of Key West’s favorite sons passed away. Benjamin “Dink” Bruce. Loved and respected by all.

Dink got his nickname, which has stuck with him, from Ernest Hemingway. Dink’s parents were close friends of Hemingway. His father was extremely close to the great man. He built the wall around Hemingway’s home on Whitehead. The two would fish and drink together.

Before moving to Cuba, Hemingway left in a room at Sloppy Joe’s boxes. The room was full of the boxes. They contained some Hemingway writings and artifacts.

The boxes were discovered after Hemingway’s death.

Hemingway’s last wife traveled to Key West to see what was involved. She took some items, gave the rest to Dink’s father. Dink’s father left them to Dink.

Dink still had them at the time of his death.

I only met Dink in the past few years. He was a regular at La Trattoria. He would sit on the stool in the corner by the window. We met one evening and became instantaneous friends. Everyone who met Dink became his instantaneous friend. He was that kind of person.

Dink is missed already.

May he rest in peace.

Mosquitoes are man’s enemy in the Keys. They bring all kinds of medical problems with them. The Keys protects its humans with a professional Mosquito Control Board. They do a good job.

Turns out humans are not the only ones prey to mosquitoes. Manatees, also. A recent discovery.

Manatees rest with their head and shoulders above water or on a beach. The mosquitoes attack them. Some have begun coming down with dengue fever and encephalitis as a result.

Not everyone went to Duval this past weekend. Some felt it was safer to remain home. The hordes of visitors would bring coronavirus with them.

I have a question. Directed to the Key West Citizen. Why no pictures of the weekend? Why no columns re the weekend? Was the Citizen afraid to make the public aware of what went on?

The City Commission’s loosening of the rules for the holiday weekend were not supported by all Key West residents. Did the paper support them? Did the paper support the bars, restaurants and businesses who clamored for an easing of the rules?

The people have a right to answers to all the questions asked. Especially if the virus has a surge by the end of the month.

William Hackley wrote again about his baby in his diary entry of this day 1855. He refers to the child as Baby. I wish he would let us know what her name is.

Her health still a concern. To me and many other readers, also.

Hackley wrote: “Babe’s mouth very sore. Sarah Peterson says she has thrush and is using a preparation of brickdust, burnt alam and honey…..Baby is growing finely and looks well if her mouth will only get well she will soon get fat and will be pretty.”

I worry about Baby. Appears it was very difficult to survive birth and the early months of life back in 1855.

I wrote a couple of weeks ago about Australia’s quarantine camps. The concept has arrived in the U.S. Ohio’s Gov. DeWine issued an order establishing “isolation camps.” Technical name “non-congregate sheltering.”

Fourteen days of quarantine and a clean bill of health before being permitted to leave.

The purpose of the isolation camps “to isolate individuals who are unable to safely quarantine in their places of residence and to isolate those diagnosed with or showing symptoms of Covid-19.”

While most cities across the country like Key West fail to enforce the rules, colleges and universities do not. An example being Northeastern University in Boston.

With Labor Day coming, the University said partying students would be dismissed without tuition refunded.

Eleven students broke the rule by partying in a Boston hotel room.

All 11 were dismissed. Their tuitions forfeited.

Fuddruckers. What a name! Sort of like Smuckers. It has to be good!

I discovered my first Fuddruckers 30 years ago in Coconut Grove. Fell in love with their steak sandwiches.

In recent years, found 2 in Miami. When I have been in Miami, I make it my business to stop in one.

Thirty one Fuddruckers left in the U.S. Their Board recently voted to close them all down, sell off their assets, and distribute the money among the shareholders.

Really sad! Apparently not everyone enjoyed Fuddruckers as I did.

Enjoy your day!

I was trying to find the final round of the Fed Ex Tournament on TV yesterday. Not sure of the channel, I was jumping around with the remote control. Suddenly an Ellen DeGeneres show popped up on the screen.

I had never seen Ellen’s show. Decided to watch it a bit to see what makes her so popular.

The show was a last year one. Sometime early November.

One of he first things was someone being picked at random from the audience to participate in a sketch on stage with Ellen.

The lucky person was a lovely, bouncy, excited 17 year old young lady. In her high school senior year.

Ellen took her to a table. A map, phone book and dial phone were on the table.

The young lady’s instructions were to identify each. She was able to do so.

Then she had to unfold the map and refold it. Those of you who can recall, the maps were big and difficult to return to their original position after unfolding.

The phone book was a thick one. White and yellow pages. She was to look up the number for Gold Mufflers.

The telephone was the old type black dial phone. One which would sit on a table. She was given a number to call.

My generation could have done all. I will concede refolding the map was always a problem for me.

The 17 year old indicated no sweat. However, she failed with regard to all 3.

Absolutely no way she could refold the map. Finally gave up.

She did not know how to use a phone book. Gold Muffler probably could easily have been found under Muffler and then Gold Muffler. The poor kid went to Car Parts and then Cars. She failed.

Ellen moved her over to the telephone. She had been given a number to call. She never lifted the receiver. Left it sitting on the phone.

Instead went immediately to dialing. A finger in the number. Moved it slowly around with the finger and then with the same finger moved it slowly back in place. Obviously no connection.

Everyone laughed, including the young lady. It was funny. She was not embarrassed. And should not have been.

The reason for her failure was she had never used any of the 3 items in her lifetime. They were from a generation or two back. Similar to a person my age trying to use a cell phone or computer for the first time today.

Trump is a white supremacist.

He views BLM and other Democratic or liberal groups terrorists.

He is campaigning on law and order. He is going to rid our streets of the thugs he depicts as terrorists. The good guys.

Typical Trump strategy. He takes something he does or thinks which is bad and relabels it as having been done by the opposition.

I am not sure how he will handle this one.

It was revealed friday that the Department of Homeland Security as part of its annual report intends to label white supremacists as the most serious threat in the U.S. One which the DHS considers more significant than the immediate danger from foreign terrorists.

The American people will continue suffering re a further stimulus package.

Congress has returned and will be in session this week. Then home till after the election. Good job!

The word is the stimulus package will not be completed. Insufficient time the excuse.

Fault of the Republicans? Fault of the Democrats? Fault of both?

Whatever, the stimulus dollars the people have been expecting and which are long over due may be agreed upon in late November or December.

A lousy way to run a government! Governments are no different than a business. Operating as Washington does, it would soon be out of business if it were in the business world.

Today or tomorrow could be significant days for China and North Korea. Even the U.S.

China already has long range missiles that can be shot from somewhere in the South China Sea. Missiles with nuclear warheads that are capable of reaching U.S. shores.

North Korea close.

A test of a missile somewhat comparable to China’s scheduled for today or tomorrow. If successful, North Korea will have a major ballistic missile also with capability to hit the U.S.

Trump keeps pissing off China. North Korea long ago gave up on the U.S.

Trump has us in a position where we can literally be killed because of his inept ways of governing. U.S. defensive and retaliatory power is not as significant.

Trump has a terrific talent in picking people to work with him at high levels in Washington. Many crooks. So far 8 have been convicted of various crimes and many are in jail.

Trump wanted to destroy the Post Office. All over the mail in ballot issue which he created and which has no basis in fact.

He brings in Louis DeJoy to be Postmaster General.

No experience with mail. He acquiesces to Trump’s ideas of how to bring the Post Office down.

DeJoy testified before a Congressional committee last week. He lied big time. Under oath, no less.

Seems he would have his employee contribute to the Republican Party or Republican candidates and then reimburse them with a bonus what they had contributed.

A no no. Against the law.

Federal charges may not be available because of statute of limitation problems.

DeJoy is a resident of North Carolina. His business is in North Carolina. North Carolina has statutes forbidding what he did which are still good.

Me thinks DeJoy is in trouble. Another of Trump’s employees will fall.

You are known by the company you keep. Trumps appointees do not help his reputation.

College football has arrived! Unless coronavirus interferes, saturday afternoons are going to be fun.

Syracuse opens its season this saturday against North Carolina. Syracuse a 22 point underdog. Nothing new. Nevertheless, it will be exciting to watch my Syracuse play.

Tonight my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. A quick moving half hour show. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

Two of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are in Key West this weekend. Death and famine.

It is the Labor Day weekend. Key West has been quiet since the July 4th weekend. Bars and restaurants not making money. Hotels hurting big time.

This weekend is make up time!

From what I have gathered, the town is full of tourists. Partying like they have not in a while. Bars and restaurants packed. Hotels full.

Most of the revelers are young. Perhaps those older have more sense and are more cautious.

I’ve given thought to the young who have been and are partying in recent weeks. They are old enough to vote, old enough to join the military, old enough to drive a car. All require a sense of responsibility.

If they are old enough to do the above, why not do what is necessary to beat coronavirus?

Responsibility begins at the top. The President. A man who has no sense of responsibility. His actions speak for themselves. He has conducted himself in a very non-responsible manner since day 1. The virus is not for real, will be gone in a few weeks, will not wear a mask, does not social distance.

I can see the young adults thinking Trump is President. He must know what he is doing. I can act accordingly.

They believe they are immune from the virus which does not exist. They even have parties the sole purpose of which is to break the rules and then see in a couple of weeks who first comes down with coronavirus. That person the winner. The winner of what? Disease and possible death!

Dumb!

In Key West, the bars, restaurants, merchants and hotels have weighed in on the City Commission to loosen the rules. The Commission capitulated. The Commission will be as responsible for the virus surge to come as the bar owners, etc.

In the end, definitely sickness. Perhaps death. Those who sought the lifting of certain rules and those enjoying the “benefits” thereof this weekend responsible.

Responsibility the big word here. Responsible to themselves and others.

The hotels are cheap this weekend. A rarity in Key West. Generally expensive to the extreme. One internet advertised a hotel room as low as $19. Never mentioned the specific hotel, however.

Others advertised discounts as high as 75 percent.

I reviewed the ads. Even the major hotels were significantly cheaper than normal.

Which of course encouraged people to come to Key West for the weekend.

Businesses like the trolley tours and Furycat had their own ads inviting tourists for the weekend.

Apparently this is Brewfest Weekend. Brewfest a bigger deal than I thought. Seven different ads advertising the event.

From what I could gather, many visiting not those who normally travel. Which added to the rowdiness. One person described it to me as “running around crazy.”

Guaranteed there will be a rise in coronavirus cases in 2 or 3 weeks in Key West. Also in the home towns where the tourists came from. They will bring the bug home with them.

Do I sound disturbed? You bet I am! We are never going to win the war against coronavirus unless we follow the rules. Wear masks, social distance, wash your hands. Simple basics. And the bars, etc should stop complaining. They are not the only ones losing money. Think of all those out of work.

We must kill the virus or it will kill us.

The numbers are interesting.

June 1 a significant date. The day U.S. 1 was reopened. A mistake in and of itself.

Since June 1, Key West has experienced 798 confirmed cases. On June 1, the number was only 41.

Since June 1, Monroe County as a whole (including Key West) has experienced 1,764 cases. On June 1, the number was only 109.

Note that today’s Key  West 798 cases is roughly 40 percent of all of Monroe County’s cases.

Florida as a State has done poorly. Governor De Santis primarily responsible. He is Trump’s lap dog and does whatever the President suggests. As a result, Trump refers to him as the best governor in America.

Yesterday, Florida passed 12,000 for the number of deaths. Overall, Florida has had 646,431 confirmed cases.

Number of people permitted to attend a wedding reception has become an issue in some states.

New York’s Governor Cuomo said no more than 50 at a wedding reception. His order was taken to court. A federal judge said Cuomo could not do it. New York has appealed the case.

Maine has a 50 percent limit. The Maine story occurred after the New York problem.

The place Alfred, Maine. Sixty five attended a wedding reception that was supposed to be limited to 50. The fall out speaks for itself.

Tracking has been done. One hundred twenty three confirmed cases came out of the wedding reception.

One was an employee of the York County Jail. He was responsible for the virus being spread to 18 other staff members at the jail, 7 family members of staff, and 46 inmates.

What is going to come of the Key West Labor day Weekend? Many many more cases than 123. The Maine situation also clearly shows how easily the virus spreads.

Take heed.

Another guest was a nursing home employee. The person infected 15. Eight residents of the nursing home and 7 staff members.

Such is life as we are experiencing it these days. The days will continue ad infinitum till Key West and the rest of the country do what is necessary to defeat the enemy.

Enjoy your day!