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!

Coronavirus has changed the way w live in many respects. And will continue to do so. Some changes will be permanent, others temporary.

The Democratic Convention opened last night. The new way. No thousands of people cloistered close hooting and hollering. Instead the new rules for living in a Covid-19 society applied.

I enjoyed most parts.

The opening left me proud and happy. I was an American experiencing an important American event. The children dressed in red, white and blue singing the National anthem moving. They were the emotional highlight of the Convention’s first 45 minutes.

I enjoyed listening to John Kasich. Former Republican Governor of Ohio.

Kasich has what it take to govern. The old way, the right way. I admired his career in Congress. Followed his actions closely.

A good man.

He crossed over and spoke at the Democratic Convention. Spoke loudly what he thought of Trump. He is not a new comer to the anti Trump group. Even before Trump was elected, he was against him. He saw the evil and without fear spoke out.

He is Republican fodder for the Republican nomination some year in the future.

Kasich’s words right on: “America is at a crossroads.”

Michelle Obama the best of the best. History will remember her. An exceptional first lady, an exceptional person.

Not afraid to speak ill of Trump. Not really ill. She spoke truth. The man is evil.

One of her comments stayed with me: “He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do this job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment.”

The most emotional words came from Kristin Urquiza. She spoke of her Dad who died from coronavirus.

Her father had been a staunch supporter of Trump. Her words powerful: “His only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump, and for that he paid with his life.”

New Zealand’s President is a woman. Scares the hell out of Trump as most women do.

She and Trump have had words in the past. Trump is attacking her again.

Why? New Zealand’s success in dealing with coronavirus.

New Zealand followed the rules and appeared to have defeated the virus entirely. More than 100 days past and no new cases. Then suddenly last week 4 in one day in Auckland. In a family.

Today, the number has risen to 7.

New Zealand does not want to go back where it was when the virus had overtaken everything.

The first step last week was to close everything down, work from home, wear masks, etc. Yesterday, it was announced a new plan was also under consideration. Managed quarantine facilities. Stated simply, quarantine camps. Infected, in you go. Not just the infected person, the entire family.

Such it is believed would prevent spread and eliminate the virus quicker.

Some New Zealanders are not happy with the plan. Referred to their home country as a “police state” if such occurs.

How bad can it be? Full medical staff will be available. Care will be the same as in a hospital. One added benefit, if infected badly and death imminent, the infected person’s family will be at bedside.

I appreciate it is easy for me to talk. I am here and neither sick nor in one of New Zealand’s quarantine camps.

One thing is certain, however. The plan should dramatically help in keeping the spread of the virus down.

Send the kids back to school?

A real issue. A hot one.

My observation involves a university. The University of North Carolina. Student body 30,000.

Opened last week with in person classes. Lasted one week. Closed. Back to viral learning.

In the one week time frame, the coronavirus rate increased to 13.6 percent from 2.8 percent at the beginning of the week.

What will be the numbers when children return to school?

I believe bad. Perhaps more than North Carolina’s percentage wise. Trump will then have screwed up again. He is a master at it.

The opposite of Obamacare? Trumpdontcare.

Trump’s most recent cry is that he is trying to save the Post Office which is sick. His words nothing less than an attempt to save his ass!

Today is Primary Day in Florida. A local election day.

In addition to primaries, people vote for local officials, budget items, and special issues.

I voted 2 weeks ago by mail in ballot. The type of mail ballot Trump claims is ok.

I hope so.

Tiger Wood’s son Charlie is now 11 years old.

A golfer already!

Two sayings come to mind. “Like father, like son.” And, “The apple does not fall far from the tree.”

Charlie played in a tournament in Palm City, Florida this past weekend. He participated in the 11 year old category.

He won.

The kids played 9 holes. Charlie shot a 33. Three shots under par. Knocked in 3 birdies.

Tiger intermittently caddied for his son along the way.

Competition tough. Second place finisher shot a 38, only 5 strokes behind.

Ah, tuesday night! Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou.

So much to rant and rave about.

Join me. Nine my time. A quick half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

Saturday’s blog Let Them Eat Cake discussed food shortages on the horizon for the America of today. What is occurring and what could occur.

On August 18, 2016, I published a blog titled VENEZUELA. The blog spoke in no uncertain terms of the food shortages impacting Venezuela at the time. They still exist.

Everything is cause and effect. It is the “effect” I am concerned with in today’s blog. I want Americans to be aware of what could happen if present food shortages continue and become greater.

Don’t say what happened in Venezuela could never happen here. Did you ever think American border personnel would rip babies from the arms of mothers as was done at our southwest border a couple of years ago?

Anything is possible, especially under a Trump regime.

The Venezuela blog is set forth in its entirety.

VENEZUELA

Venezuela was once one of the world’s richest countries. Its oil reserves the third largest in the world.

By the mid 2000s, everyone was eating. Average consumption 2,790 calories a day. Thanks to Hugo Chavez. Venezuela’s President from 1999 to 2013.

Chavez was a SOCIALIST among socialists. He wanted everything for the people. With the people making minimal contribution to paying for things. The government would pay.

Oil was big. Chavez smarter than the oil companies. He nationalized the oil companies and other foreign industries. With the stroke of a pen. All profits then went to the Venezuelan people.

Chavez’s goal was to expand access to food, housing, health care, and education. He initially succeeded in all areas.

Eventually however, Chavez’s extreme socialism began to falter. A society cannot be the end all to all. Especially when few contribute in any significant degree to their own support.

Oil revenues fell. The high oil profits of 2003-2007 became a thing of the past. It was oil profits that sustained Chavez’s socialistic society.

Food a perfect example. Chavez fed everyone. Till the ceiling caved in.

Chavez had the price of all food stuffs set with a ceiling. The people paid no more. The government picked up the tab for the rest. The rest equating to significantly more than the people could directly pay.

Literally, everyone got fat.

Most of the food was not grown in Venezuela by Venezuelan farmers. It was imported. The oil profits were more than sufficient to pay the cost.

When things started getting bad, Chavez got sick. The two not related. The last four years of his life Chavez was fighting to save his life and Venezuela’s at the same time.

He failed.

Chavez died in 2013 from a massive heart attack and advanced colon cancer. Venezuela had become corrupt. He had opposition. There are those who believe Chavez was murdered.

Nicolas Maduro became President. Inept and incompetent from day one. A puppet of the military. The generals wanted to rule Venezuela. From 2013-2016, they succeeded. Today, the generals run everything. They hold all cabinet posts. They hold Maduro in their hands. He dances to their tune.

The government is corrupt. The generals are eating, economically and food wise. They want for nothing. As does the puppet Maduro. And a handful of high level civilians.

At the same time, the people starve.

The first inkling of a problem came in 2013. Maduro had been President less than a year. Venezuela ran out of toilet paper. Once a person is without, the realization hits home that toilet paper is a necessity of life.

There is still a shortage of toilet paper.

Store shelves had less and less food. Eventually no food. People waiting in lines for hours. When finally in the store, nothing remained for sale.

In 2014, food shortages hit 28 percent. In 2015, 75 percent. Forget the percentages in this year of 2016. Famine has moved in. Maduro has declared a national food crisis.

Food has become precious.

The New York Times described the situation as follows: “Venezuela is convulsing from hunger.”

2016 also became the year that water became in poor supply.

Inflation is expected to exceed 700 percent by November.

There is no work. Factories cannot operate. There is no electricity. Maduro provides electricity 1-2 days a week. Maintenance has been neglected thereby causing the inability to produce electricity.

Families need food. People have been forced to extreme measures.

Last year, garbage was a source of sustenance. However, garbage pails only hold so much food products that last only so long when many are searching. Then a point is reached where there is no garbage. People have nothing or little to eat.

Stealing a neighbor’s food came next. Only so much to steal, however.

This year evidences just how bad things have become.

Home pets, generally dogs and cats, were killed and eaten by families. If a family could not kill such a loved one or could not afford to feed the pet, the pet was dropped off on a highway. There others not fond of the pet would pick it up and take the pet home for dinner.

Pets are no longer in supply.

Next were the zoos. In the last thirty days. First chickens, rabbits and the like were stolen and eaten. Then larger zoo animals.

Very recently, a Caracas zoo was broken into in the middle of the night. A black stallion was one of the zoo’s featured animals. When zoo staff arrived in the morning, all that was left of the horse were its head and ribs.

What next? Hunger goes on at the same time the food supply dwindles even further. Cadavers? I don’t know.

To appreciate Mommy, I’m hungry, consider the following.

Families only eat every second day. Some every third. Only one meal. Children included.

Children are malnourished. They faint in class. Some die. Their bodies nothing but skin and bones. The outline of ribs visible. Hands swollen. Skin stuck to bones. Bellies swollen.

Mothers try to make babies sleep till noon to avoid a breakfast of non-existent milk/food.

Whatever is available to eat is fried. With flour. Empty calories. Unhealthy. Nevertheless, adults and children develop bellies. The battle of the bulge. Not a healthy fat, if there is one.

People eat what they can find. What they find is not healthy.

There is a black market. Except for the generals and a handful of people, the others are poor. They cannot afford black market prices.

Meat. What meat? Most have not eaten meat since last December.

On the rare occasions food is available, the cost for a family of five for bare necessities for a month is $226. The problem is few are working. There is no work.

$226 is a lot of money. Especially in a society where the average monthly salary of one working is $15 a month

Medicines/hospitals are the same. Not enough of anything.

Diseases such as malaria and mange have returned. These diseases were eradicated years ago. Neither inoculations nor medicines exists. People are once again vulnerable.

Dengue fever a problem. The disease was controlled with medication. No medication means dengue is likely to be a death sentence.

There are no medicines to treat HIV/Aids. Many HIV inflicted are moving into the Aids category because necessary medicines are lacking.

Hospitals have neither equipment nor medicines. They are filthy. Cleaning products not available. Nor gloves, saline, antibiotics, painkillers, morphine, and anesthesia.

Operations cannot be performed. Not only because of a lack of what is listed in the preceding paragraph. There is no electric power. Therefore, no air conditioning. The risk of bacterial infection becomes too high to operate.

Cockroaches on every floor and every wall.

There is a sick humor to all this. People are dying. There are no coffins. Cannot be manufactured nor imported. No power, no money.

Chavez hated America. He thought Bush 2 was the devil. Recall his sulfur comment before the United Nations.

Chavez was close friends with Fidel Castro and Raul Castro. As is Maduro.

As Castro blamed the United States for everything for fifty years, Chavez and Maduro blame the United States also. Especially Maduro.

Maduro claims the United States caused Chavez’s cancer colon by secretly infecting him with cancer. He further claims the people are poor and without food because of Americans. Finally, he keeps his people in line by telling them the United States is preparing to invade. Just as Fidel Castro did.

I am not sure why I wrote about Venezuela this week. Is there a message? A lesson to be learned?

It hits home that here has to be a balance between socialism and liberalism. Both are needed in a society. However, Venezuela went to far to the left. Totally.

Beware of crazy leaders? Maduro is on the crazy side. A nut. Weigh your vote heavily in the November election.

What else, I don’t know. I think I wrote this column because it is a tale of sickness and sadness. Everyone should be aware. It could happen anywhere anytime. No nation is immune. Even the United States.

Trump’s actions this past week against the Post Office have been swift and decisive. He moved like a thief in the night to remove mail boxes, speed mail sorting machines, and delaying any monies needed.

Except, Trump did not make the moves in the dark of the night. He had them performed in the light of day.

Like screw you! I am the King! Oops, the President!

Trump moved openly and swiftly. Brought to mind Hitler’s blitzkrieg when he invaded Poland. Also similar,  the Night of the Long Knives when Hitler attacked Germany’s Catholic Church.

Trump is desperate to win and does not care what the American people think as to how he accomplishes his goal. I believe he errs this time. The people do care. Democrats and Republicans. Farmers. The elderly.

The first thing Trump’s Post Office actions accomplished was to give the Democrats an additional campaign issue. The American people consider Trump’s moves an assault on the needs of citizens who rely on daily deliveries.

Trump tells us all type things are wrong with the Post Office. If so, the American people were neither aware nor experiencing any deficiencies. Pew Research in an April study reported 91 percent approved the work of the Post Office.

Removing mail boxes a simple move that my mind however fails to understand. I have always believed there are not enough mail boxes. Whether I was living in Utica or Key West. Better to use the Post Office itself. In most instances also meant a 24 hour improvement in delivery time.

Trump hit Oregon, Montana, Indiana and Manhattan in the first round of mail box removals. Yesterday, it was announced Trump had put a stop to the removals.

Trump also has had speed mail sorting machines removed. These machines routinely process millions of pieces of mail a day. His obvious game to slow down mail processing which would cause havoc with mail in ballots.

The man destroys. Hopefully in this instance, the clamor of the American people will stop him.

Today another important one in American history. It was on this day in 1969 that legendary Woodstock opened in Bethel, New York.

Two prominent Key West musical talents were there. Fifty one years ago.  Larry Smith and Christine Cordone. What an experience it had to have been!

Ernest Hemingway had that special touch of genius. He could see what others could not. He was able to convey his observations in writing.

Following is a yesterday Hemingway quote that fits Trump today. Recognizes a difference between the two men: “I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.”

Consider these words…..Kamala Harris is the future, so Mike Pence may well be history.

Respectfully, the President is a whore. A manipulator. He is stacking his briefings.

Reporters very favorable to him are invited to attend the briefings. The President knows they are there, who they are, and what questions they will ask. The reporters are from media outlets most have never heard. Far right publications. Like One America Hears and The Epoch Times.

Reporters who throw “softball questions” to the President.

May Johnson does not let grass grow under her feet!

May wrote on her diary pages for 8/15/1856 and 8/16/1856 her dancing with many boys at La Brisa. Almost a daily thing.

May has a boy friend. Ernesto, I think. He works in Miami. Rarely visits Key West. The two keep in contact by letter writing. The problem being the letters are few and far between. Though May writes to Ernesto a bit more than he responds.

I assume Ernesto is dancing with the ladies in Miami. Apparently an “understanding” exists between the two.

Enjoy your Sunday!