When a particular type violence occurs in one place, it generally happens in another. A copy cat effect.

An event yesterday occurred in Guatemala City which could easily occur in Washington, D.C. Or, any other capital city for that matter.

Yesterday protesters in Guatemala City set fire to their Congress. Heavy stuff.

Guatemala is experiencing difficult times. Two bad hurricanes recently hit. The people were hurting big time before the hurricanes. Worse since. Their Congress seemed to be doing nothing to help.

Congress passed cuts to education and health. At the same time, the legislators passed a bill to increase their own meal stipends.

Thousands in the streets. They had it. They set fire to Congress from the inside. One portion of Congress was severely damaged.

A picture appeared on the internet this morning showing a protester standing in front of the burning building giving the finger with both hands. A smile on his face.

It could happen here, including the finger. Our Congressional building could be set on fire. Perhaps even the White House.

American people are upset on both sides of the spectrum. Who knows what will happen. If it does, the U.S. definitely will have become a third world country.

My concern a serious one. Americans are upset. About everything. They are equally divided. Each side believing themselves to be correct.

When something different happens in one place, persons in another say…..”Hey ! A good idea!”

It could happen here.

Sidney Powell, a new leader of the pack. The legal group working for Trump to upset the election.

What happened to Giuliani? Quietly overnight has Trump replaced him with Powell? Giuliani’s track record having left nothing to be desired. Or is Giuliani still involved to whatever degree?

Powell is a Dallas attorney. Her background indicates a tough lawyer who enjoys working the difficult cases.

In the last 48 hours, Powell announced that this week she was going to bring a lawsuit of “Biblical proportions.” Warning in effect that the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse were coming down on Georgia.

Indications are Powell is no different from Giuliani with regard to charges involved: “Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”

Her charges sound horrendous and gigantic. The wrongdoing by the Democrats beyond belief. Powell claims she has “tons of evidence.” As Giuliani did.

She has been asked by the media to share the evidence. So far, nothing. It is suspected “nothing” because there is nothing of substance. Hers the same type cases Giuliani had been bringing, with a new twist.

Her theory involves conspiracy. Among other things, she will claim Democrats used an “algorithm” to switch votes from Trump to Biden. The argument  will then indicate the algorithm failed because of the unanticipated large Trump vote. The Democrats then had to switch their wrongdoing to something else. The something else being the manipulation of the mail in ballots.

Powell appears to be a QAnon supporter. She has been known to run QAnon slogans on her social media site. Those referring to a conspiracy involving a cabal of child abusers in the life of the liberal elite manipulation of world events.

Powell also concurs with the QAnon claim: “The Storm Is Coming!”

This day in 1963 was a sad one. One of the saddest in U.S. history. President John Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald.

The entire nation mourned. Political affiliation had nothing to do with their sorrow. Kennedy had brought a new vibrancy into the White House with him. Hope sprang eternal.

Then it ended.

The nation did not feel that same exuberance again till Barrack Obama was elected. As Kennedy had, he brought with him that special excitement.

Enjoy your Sunday!

So much tragedy in life. Centralized in the U.S. with the coronavirus pandemic.

Tragedies occur in other areas and with other species. Man sometimes is there to help.

One of the places is the Marathon Turtle Hospital. Not a fly by night operation. In existence for many years. Fully staffed. Totally respected. Turtles flown in from all over the world to be saved.

A local incident this past week. The Key West Citizen’s Rob O’Neal wrote a pointed article about it.

Involved, a juvenile green sea turtle.

Fishermen noticed the turtle while in the lower Keys. They could tell the turtle was in a bad way. Tumors all over the turtle’s body.

Authorities were contacted who in turn contacted Key West Wildlife Rescue and the Marathon Turtle Hospital. Together they were able to capture the turtle from the ocean waters.

The turtle was transported to the Marathon Turtle Hospital. Diagnosis serious. Tumors on the face, neck and flippers. A typical malady of turtles all over the world. The tumors are created by the fibropapillomatosis virus which affects a turtle’s soft body tissue.

If left untreated, the turtle’s vision can be obstructed, can’t see  predatory fish, unable to swim and feed.

The Turtle Hospital will surgically remove the tumors. The turtle will remain in the Hospital for one year for rehabilitation purposes. Then will be released back into the wild.

Giuliani should be an author today rather than an attorney. The imaginative things he comes up with would make for good reading. Not so in the political world, however.

Giuliani did a press conference following his appearance in a Philadelphia court. He was sweating profusely. As reported yesterday, his head was so wet from sweat that the dye from his black hair was running down his face to his jaws.

Giuliani’s imagination can run wild. Crazy wild.

He claimed Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez was a prominent figure in the election ballot cheating being claimed. Chavez died in 2013.

He suggested someone should “cut the heads off “Democratic leaders. I wonder if he was influenced by Steve Bannon in this regard. A few days earlier Bannon had suggested certain people should have their heads cut off and placed on poles in front of the White House.

Another part of his theory involved a Clinton. He was not specific which one. He said, “Somehow the Democratic Party was hijacked by Clinton and since then it’s gone more corrupt.”

Another weird representation was that the conspiratorial theory he was promoting was orchestrated in Frankfort, Germany.

About as valid as saying it was born in Hitler’s bunker.

Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson had a great article in this morning’s edition of the Washington Post. Titled “Donald Trump’s 2020 Theme: Make America Sick Again.”

Robinson’s opening three sentences stated the obvious: “This is becoming like Greek tragedy. The nation is on fire with COVID-19, cases and hospitalizations are soaring to unattainable new highs, and our leader does nothing but rage and moan about his own punishment at the hands of cruel fate. If it is true that those whom the gods would destroy they first make mad, then President Donald Trump is finishing his shambolic term in office as Mad King Donald.”

Robinson’s last sentence right on: “The theme of his failed re-election campaign should have been ‘Make America Sick Again!”‘

Hopefully, the Key West City Commission is finally seeing the light. It has cancelled all special events on public property through 12/31. One week after it decided to ease restrictions. In that one week, coronavirus in Key  West and Monroe County surged.

Gone this holiday season are the Christmas Parade, Christmas tree lighting, Memorah lightnings, the Lighted Bike Ride, and all concerts at the Amphitheater.

The numbers. Coronavirus on the move. Straight upward. A surge.

Keys had 99 new cases in one day this past week. Sixty seven of those cases were in Key West.

Monroe County cases already top 3,000.

Florida close to 1 million. Actual number 923,418.

Positivity rates off the wall. Florida 17.6 percent. Monroe County 20.38 percent. To appreciate these numbers recognize New York City closed its schools when the positivity rate hit 3 percent.

A growing trend is obvious. Key West locals are getting more vocal and upset with the numbers and the failure of governmental authorities to do their job effectively.

The Citizens’ Voice clearly reflects the trend.

Today’s Citizens’ Voice carried 9 complaints from persons upset with the growing numbers and what they perceive the reasons why. Only 3 comments ran in the opposite direction.

The worse danger facing the U.S. since World War II is coronavirus. Trump should be providing personal hands on attention to the problem. Instead he mans about his loss and takes every opportunity to hurt the U.S., the wreckage of which will remain long after he leaves office.

The pain of it all! Syracuse got beat last night 30-0 by Louisville. Syracuse was favored. Syracuse had only won 1 game going into last night. Louisville, 2. For whatever reason, Syracuse was favored.

What a mistake!

What a season!

I can’t stand much more! Thank God there are only 2 games left.

This is my 291st day of self-quarantine. I feel like I am blindly following the Pied Piper.

Not easy. Gets to me some days.

This week will be tough. Thanksgiving. I am a family man. Love family holidays. No family this year. Lisa and I have talked. I did not want to come to her house for dinner, she did not want me there. The virus!

She is sending me a plate.

Enjoy your day!

Mr. President To Be: Congratulations! Seventy eight years old! God bless!

You are young in heart and mind. This is your time. America needs you.

America’s Catholic Church has a way of getting involved far more than it should. At a time when its track record the past 40 years leaves much to be desired.

The abortion issue rises again! In a very small minute area.

San Francisco Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Brennan yesterday urged Catholics not to “jump on the COVID-19 vaccine bandwagon.” He cited certain concerns about the use of fetal cells in vaccine development. He said, “I don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade, but I’m going to rain on a parade today: The vaccine parade.”

Bishop Brennan said that some researchers racing to produce a coronavirus vaccine have made use of cells derived from aborted fetuses and perhaps other “morally objectionable” materials. Apparently most companies producing vaccines use fetal cells at a stage in a vaccine’s development.

His specifics a bit unclear. The  Bishop claims he was referring to fetus cells from an abortion or material cast off from the artificial insemination of a human embryo. It is the second portion that confuses me.

Respectfully, the good Bishop then sounded like Rudy Giuliani. He cited the Pfizer vaccine as involving human cell material.

Pfizer spokeswoman Jerica Pitts responded later saying, “Not a single stage has had it.”

“The Charlotte Logier Institute is an anti-abortion organization. It said that both Pfizer and Moderna were listed by them as “ethically uncontroversial.”

The coronavius vaccine is most important at this stage. The Bishop should check the facts before making a pronouncement on an issue so important.

I actually feel sorry for Giuliani. A top notch prosecutor in his day no longer in his prime or anything close to it. He embarrasses the legal profession.

Trump is taking Giuliani down with him. Trump most likely neither cares nor gives it any thought.

His legal theories embarrassing. He forgets law is required to support such theories.

Yesterday, my heart broke for him. This once great lawyer speaking at a press conference was sweating big time. He repeatedly took out his handkerchief to wipe his wet face.

The worst was yet to come. Apparently Giuliani dyes his hair. His business. However, he should make sure it is done properly. Black sweat lines on both sides of his face were running from his hairline down his cheeks to his jaw.

Would you believe there are persons dying in hospitals who deny having the virus and/or claim it dos not exist?

South Dakota has made it big time as concerns the virus. Its numbers way up. Hospitals packed. Medical personnel beat. Supplies running short.

Jodi Doering is a nurse at a South Dakota hospital. She was interviewed on TV yesterday. She is the person who brought dying patient denial of the virus to the nation’s attention.

Denial of the existence of coronavirus! Wow! The number sick and the number dying speak for themselves.

Nurse Doering says caring for patients in denial is like a “horror movie that never ends.” She has patients on 100 percent oxygen that can only breathe because of the 100 percent oxygen being provided. Some of those in denial are in this group.

Difficult to understand when 250,000 have already died from the virus.

Sounds like most must be loyal Trump followers who drank the “kool aid.”

I have been sharing some local comments about the virus and how Key West is handling it. The comments are taken directly from the Citizens’ Voice. All so far have been by locals.

Today came the first by a tourist: “We visited Key West for the weekend based on a Trip Advisor recommendation. No masks or distancing on Duval. Bars are literally a petri dish. I feel sorry for those that work there. Requirements posted all over Key West but no enforcement at all. We will not be back.”

Coronavirus surging in our tiny Keys. Monroe County registered 300 new cases in less than a week. Positivity rates for Key West all over the place. Read one that was 18 percent. Another, 11.78 percent. Not sure which is accurate. Both too high in any event.

Key West got 49 new cases on thursday. One day. Would you believe?

Key West infections total 1,412. Presently hospitalized 9.

You will recall that last week I advised the City Commission had once again capitulated to the bars and restaurants. Policies have been drawn back some what.

The City is back to work this week re restrictions. Most of those reduced last week have increased this week. The writing was on the wall. The City fathers finally saw it. I hope.

Mask wearing required full time. A few exceptions. Someone referred to the mask wearing increase as “mask gestation.”

Recognized also was that were not a sufficient number of officers out on the street handing out citations to those not wearing masks. Through yesterday, police and codes personnel were utilized. Members of the Fire Department were added.

We shall see. This is friday. The weekend is here. Tourists will arrive in huge numbers. The bars and restaurants will be full. Coronavirus will have its usual weekend feast.

Maybe, just maybe, Syracuse can win its second football game of the season tonight.

Someone screwed up because Syracuse/Louisville is being touted as the Game of the Week. Seven tonight.

Syracuse  has only won 1 game this season. Louisville 2. The season is almost over.

Our 1896 beauty May Johnson was out again last night. La Brisa, of course. “Much dancing……came home 11:30, bed. DEAD TIRED”

Everest is due home this week. Wonder how things will go.

Enjoy your day!

A triumvirate is a group working together to increase their power and control a government. The first historically was the trio of Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus in 60 B.C.

There is a new triumvirate in Washington these days. Three men seeking to control the government of the U.S. Trump, Giuliani, and Bannon.

Trump is President. Wants to remain President. He exercises very little personal judgment. His mind seems to be screwed up re the election result. How could he lose!

Trump’s primary concern is the election. He wants to change the result if possible. If not, lay the groundwork for another run in 2024.

The battle to reverse the election result is in the hands of Giuliani. He leads legally. Trump listens.

America’s Mayor is no more. He has lost all respect over the years. Especially the most recent. He almost got Trump convicted of impeachment. Now he is guiding Trump with his radical false ways to somehow diminish the election result. His efforts have been and will be futile. They are as way out as the story behind the Ukraine fiasco.

Giuliani is happy with his present position. He is in the limelight. Only one problem Whatever legal abilities he had in days long bye, no longer exist. His time has passed. He is inept.

However, he influences Trump. Giuliani provides the radical legal theories that hopefully will upset the election.

Finally, there is Bannon.

Bannon is Giuliani’s co-pilot to a degree in the election schemes.

Bannon is involved even more in guiding Trump. Radical moves nationally and internationally are Bannon’s forte. He has not changed. His goal is to take down the establishment. It was so when he helped Trump get elected and continues to be now that he is in Trump’s good graces again.

Bannon is a far right populist. His life goal has been and continues to be to create a network of far right such groups in Europe. If along the way he can capture the U.S., so much the better.

This past summer, Bannon was arrested for fraud involving donors. The purported purpose to raise money from private donors for Trump’s wall.

He remains under indictment. Yet Trump has returned him to the White House as a major advisor to help undermine Biden. Most if not all the staff changes Trump has made in recent weeks were Bannon’s idea. He seeks to break the legs of the U.S. internationally.

Bannon’s most recent efforts have involved taking down the Vatican. He wants Pope Francis out. Together with Newt Gingrich, he has become a thorn in the side of the Pope. Many prelates have joined with Bannon in the effort.

Gingrich’s wife was appointed U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican by Trump.

Tweet recently threw Bannon off its social media publication. The action followed Bannon calling for the beheading of Dr. Anthony Fauci and FBI Director Christopher Wray.

He recommended their heads be put on poles outside the White House as a “warning.” A throwback to Tudor England.

Trump influences neither Giuliani nor Bannmon. He listens to them because they say what he wants to hear. Something both men recognize.

Bannon is much smarter than Giuliani. Giuliani’s smarts are limited these days.

Bannon influences both Trump and Giuliani. He represents the most danger.

Everyone in the White House is secondary and below Giuliani and Bannon. Including, Jared Kushner.

I suspect Bannon will be breaking into the news shortly. His actions too important not to be reported.

Enjoy your day!

Good morning!

There is no consistency to today’s topics. Which means it’s a Morning Stew day!

Heard from my Seattle friend Cathy again. Washington is in lock down. Supermarket shelves running bare.

Cathy went to another supermarket yesterday. Shelves not full, however better than the previous one. Notably not in stock toilet paper. Not one package left.

I recall earlier in the year when coroanvirus hit Key West with some significance and some stores were without certain items. The #1 item missing from the shelves was toilet paper.

I don’t understand what the relationship between the virus and toilet paper is. I understand the need and value of the product. Not to be without! However there are other items that would seem to be equal to or more in need.

Trump has done an excellent job in combating the coronavirus. Consider the number dead, the increasing numbers each day, etc. Donald can take credit for bringing two of the Four Horsemen upon us. Death and plague.

Trump’s interest in the virus significant. In 5 months, he has not attended one Coronavirus Task Force meeting.

Cable news carried an interesting item last night. We know Trump tweets. Has to be in the thousands.

It was announced that Trump has his tweets printed. For his review and whatever further use.

No question the man is an egomaniac. Only such a person would have his tweets printed.

Could Trump’s printed tweets ultimately be used against Trump as the tapes were against Nixon?

Lindsay Graham is a strange duck.

He has been a Senator for 17 years. Too long! Too long for him and all other Congressional persons who make a career out of governing. Graham is a walking example of the need for terms limits.

He screwed up yesterday. The South Carolina Senator got his nose in Georgia politics.

One observation before proceeding further. Lindsay was once the close friend of John McCain. McCain died and Lindsay became the close friend of the President. Some kind of inconsistency there!

There was a telephone call involving Lindsay and Georgia election officials. A conference call. Several on the line.

Georgia undergoing a Presidential recount. Trump has no way of winning. He is 14,000 votes behind Biden.

Lindsay stepped over the line when he asked if there was some way of tossing some of the ballots. Ballots that favored Biden. Lindsay was looking for a way to legally dispose of a number of Biden’s ballots.

None of Lindsay’s business! The inquiry has the tinge of wrongdoing. Corruption.

There are others on the line who can corroborate Lindsay’s inquiry. One already has.

We learned at the end of last week that Trump had retained Giuliani to head his legal teal re the election.

Understandable. Trump’s win/loss record in election court cases 1-24. Trump a definite loser in the courtroom.

His cross country attorneys seem to be withdrawing in mass. Ergo, Trump brought his friend Giuliani into the fold as his new head election attorney.

Two observations.

Giuliani announced he was being paid $20,000 a day. Excellent money! I know of no attorney who has ever been paid that much. Even the top guys in Washington and New York.

Giuliani is not worth that kind of money. His days as a court room lawyer are behind him. He seems to be inept in recent years every time he gets involved with a legal issue.

Trump later disputed the amount. Giuliani apparently had a talk with Trump. Giuliani reported his fee would be determined at the end of the case.

Doubt Giuliani will be paid $20,000 a day or any money for that matter. Trump’s reputation for paying his lawyers is well known. He does not.

Another observation involves Giuliani’s appearance in a Philadelphia court room this week. The judge handed him his head.

Giuliani got up to address the court. His words were to the effect that the case was one involving national fraud.

The judge inquired of Giuliani regarding the factual proof and whether there was any fraud at all. Giuliani finally agreed with the judge there was none.

Go Giuliani!

On this day in 1626, St. Peter’s Basilica was consecrated. Then and now it is the world’s largest Christian Church.

Its size enormous. I have visited several times.

One way to appreciate St. Peter’s size is to recognize that St. Patrick’s in New York City would easily fit into St. Peter’s with tons of room left over.

Street flooding is common place in Key West. Heavy rains, ocean surfaced land, and an inadequate drainage system means flooding on occasion. Some times intersections deep enough to swim in.

It has always been so.

I came across a couple of observations re Key West flooding. Don’t recall which storm. Do recall it was at least 20 years ago.

Comments made by observers at the time.

“My German Shepard had to swim on his walk.”

“The water was above the urinals at the Monster. But we kept partying.”

“Sloppy Joe’s stayed open. People rowed boats to get there.”

Key West’s coronavirus numbers continue to go up. We have the largest numbers in the Keys. No other Keys community near us.

There are generally two sides to a story. So it is in Key West. Pitted against each other are bar, restaurant owners and their employees. Some other business operations. As well as the Chamber of Commerce and City Commission. The politicians seem to always capitulate to the bars, restaurants, and Chamber of Commerce.

On the other side, locals. People who reside in Key West all year long. The locals continue to take a beating. Key Westers continue getting the virus. Fortunately, no deaths yet. Key West’s positivity rate is 16.9 percent.

Simply stated, the problem is the virus is driven down to Key West from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and other parts north. They party and leave the coronavirus behind.

The Citizens’ Voice seems to carry more and more complaints by locals. Almost every day now.

Today’s comments as follows.

“Stop the tourists. Put the roadblock back up.”

“I walked Duval last night to see how the business owners who promised the Commission they would help with safety instead of a curfew were doing. Not a mask in sight. Bars packed to the gills. Mask-free restaurant staffs.”

“As a service industry worker, please bring back the city-wide mask mandate. It would ease some of the anxiety about these plague tourists who seem to have very little regard for our local health.”

“I’m appalled at some in our business community who would rather cater to tourists that don’t care about their fellow human beings and would pack their places with little to no distancing or masks than do the right thing. Locals will remember.”

“Does this make any sense? When disease threatened the Key deer population we set up an animal screening road block. Now disease threatens our human population and we say ‘come on down.'”

Enjoy your day!

My Cocktails at 7 friend Cathy sent me an upsetting e-mail. She went grocery shopping over the weekend. The shelves were basically empty.

She wrote, “It’s happening again!”

Consistent with what is occurring in the rest of the country, Covid-19 numbers are shooting up. Washington’s Governor Inslee is not waiting till it gets worse. He has ordered the entire State locked down. The people of Washington were hoarding.

Yesterday’s blog was on the heavy side. Sad truth always is.

I pointed out that the recent surge yet ongoing indicates the virus is out of hand nationally. Hospitals are being pushed to their maximum. There may not be enough intensive care beds available in 2-4 weeks.

Such means not everyone will be admitted. Some will be rejected on hospital steps. Who will be refused help and how would it be decided? One group stood out like a sore thumb. The elderly!

Reminded me of Sophie’s Choice.

Tough sad responses. Primarily from older persons. All upset in one fashion or another. Who wants to die prematurely?

One middle aged man suggested the old should be happy to go. To make it possible for the young to live out their lives. A selfish consideration on his part. I would be happy to change places with him.

One senior citizen said I should have prepared my readers for such a depressing article. She did not think she could ever read my blog again. She mentally could not handle the warning I was sending.

On a happier note, Harry Truman arrived in Key West this day in 1946. It was his first visit to Key West. He stayed a week.

Truman obviously liked our island. He made 10 more trips to Key West for a total of 11. He spent a total of 175 days in Key West.

Coronavirus an up front issue. And will continue to be. I want to share some Covid-19 impressions, observations, comments, etc.

The Citizens’ Voice once again this morning carried a slew of comments. All negative.

One  was that Key West’s positivity rate is 16.9 percent. Wild! Out of the box! One of the highest in the country. The writer advised Key West should stop pandering to tourists.

Another concerned Key West’s annual Christmas Parade. The best I have ever seen! The entire town is either on a float or on a curb watching.

Shoulder to shoulder, of course. Mask wearing? I don’t know what it would be.

The person commenting could not understated how the City Commission could even consider holding a parade. The writer said any government official who condones a parade should be charged with reckless behavior.

Another indicated there were 58 new Covid-19 cases over the weekend. Suggesting therefore the City Commission and Health Department were useless.

I had a doctor visit yesterday. Drove down Duval afterwards. I can assure you, Key West was dead. Very few people. Not one wearing a mask.

Ouite a difference from the weekend apparently. One comment referred to Duval at that time as a “super-spreader” scene.

New York City has a set number for when the schools must be closed again. When the positivity rate for one week is 3 percent.

The number getting close. This past week it was 2.87 percent.

You have to give New York’s Governor Cuomo credit. Recall when New York was the worst of the worst. I did not believe anyone could bring the numbers down.

Cuomo did. He was hard and deliberate. He deserves credit.

As with the rest of the country, New York’s numbers are creeping up. Not badly when compared to other States. Cuomo refuses to let them get out of hand.

He announced that the fine for failing to wear a mask in New York City was being increased from $500 to $1,000.

Coronavirus numbers are surging throughout the U.S. Record highs being reached. In one day last week, 160,000 new cases were identified. The most ever in one day.

I learned something new. The numbers as reported identifying new cases only represents those in hospitals. If a person is home and has coronavirus, that person is not counted. Which means the numbers we are getting are not accurate. They are higher.

I am not condemning the process. Merely sharing it with you.

I recall the early comments re children. We were not to worry. They did not come down with the virus. However if they did, it was simple to treat and lent itself to an easy recovery.

Some of Trump’s observations which he shared with us.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association announced over 1 million U.S. children have been diagnosed with coronavirus.

Dr. Scott Atlas appears to be enjoying his 15 seconds in the lime light.

Atlas is one of Trump’s recent finds. A man whose thought process re coronavirus Trump likes.

Atlas’ background is in radiology. Not infectious diseases. He was Chief of Neuroradiology at Stanford from 1998-2012. He recently was appointed by Trump to be an adviser to the Coronavirus Task Force.

The man is crazy. He knows not that of which he speaks. I am waiting for him to endorse a shot of Clorox in the arm as the solution necessary to kill the virus.

Atlas is the Giuliani of Trump’s Task Force.

Atlas is a scary person. This past week he said the people of Michigan should “rise up” against their government. The Covid-19 restrictions being imposed on Michigan were not needed.

Oh, so much happening. No time to cover it all in the blog. I have the same problem with Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. So much to discuss and so little time.

Tonight’s the evening for Tuesday Talk. My blog talk radio show. One half hour of me ranting and raving about the good and bad of things. Join me at 9 my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

When I was a young man, birth control and abortion became major issues. It was the 1950’s, I was in college and law school.

I believed that life began at the moment of conception. I was pro life.

Since that time, my thinking has evolved. By the late 1980’s, I had moved over to the other side. I firmly believed in a woman’s right to choose.

My primary reason for being pro life was not a religious one. I believed if we killed the young at that time, we would kill the old years down the road. When I was older.

At 85, I am older. And because of the coronavirus pandemic, society is mysteriously considering that medical care not be provided everyone. That it be limited to those who have a better chance for survival. Those younger than 85? The cut off point no one has yet decided. Guaranteed it will be close to 85.

Consideration will also be given to withholding medical care from those with a Charlson comorbidity index of 5 or more. Those younger, but who have other serious illness which will kill them sooner or later anyhow.

Why am I raising the issue now? Simply because it is in our faces. We are eyeball to eyeball with it.

Some may be thinking about the issue. Most not. The shock will be horrific. It may be right around the corner. As close as to 2-4 weeks away.

The coronavirus numbers reported over the weekend indicated to me it was time for the open discussion. Perhaps too late.

Over the weekend, the U.S. hit in excess of 11 million cases. One million were added last week in less than 7 days. The numbers shot up to 11 million less than 1 week after it hit 10 million.

No end appears in sight. The numbers are surging. Faster than ever before.

Hospitalizations have risen. Dramatically. As of yesterday, more than 69,000 people were hospitalized in the U.S. Hospitals are reaching the breaking point. In addition to insufficient beds, doctors and nurses are being overworked. Supply shortages beginning to appear.

The solution is some have to be denied medical care. Rejected on the steps of the hospitals. Young being favored over the elderly for treatment because their generation has a better chance of surviving.

Some examples where medical care had to be selective. Not all coronavirus cases. The problem the same, however.

Several months back when Italy was in dreadful shape, it is now slowing being revealed  hospitals decided 2 groups would be denied treatment. Those older than 80, those who had a Charlson comorbidity index of 5 or more.

Remember Katrina. New Orleans was suffering a total power failure. The hospitals were overwhelmed, the heat was overburdening. The hospitals could not treat all those requiring attention.

Washington State at one point was discussing behind doors when their hospitals were becoming overwhelmed, who would receive medical care and who would be refused.

Even Auschwitz and the other Nazi concentration camps had a selective system as who was to be gassed. If an individual had a profession or trade useful to the Germans, they were permitted to live. Doctors, scientists, and the like. Attractive young ladies also. To entertain German soldiers in the bordellos located on camp grounds.

Who decides? The thought is doctors and nurses. Doctors who were sworn to save lives will now be required to decide who is to die.

Some doctors or nurses may very well refuse to make that judgment. It violates their lives of work and dedication to saving people’s lives.

Triages may first be established. Small groups of doctors and nurses. To make the decision process more palatable. Note that the need for decision making will be based on a lack of beds, equipment and personnel. Imagine! A person refused attention because of a lack of a ventilator.

The thought occurs as to how older doctors and nurses are to be treated. Realize there can be no exceptions. There must be consistency. Everyone must die. Including the older doctors and nurses who returned to work during the epidemic.

Should people be told why they are not being admitted to a hospital or receiving sufficient care at home? A serious question.

I believe the answer to whether a person lives or dies should belong  to the patient. It should be recognized as a right equal to any other.

Age or health should not alter a person’s entitlement.

Heavy stuff being considered here.

Restricting people from accessing medical care is around the corner.

Permit me to conclude with those I hold responsible for our nation being placed in this position.

First, Trump. For failing to recognize coronavirus was a dangerous threat and have dealt with it. He never really has. He left our people vulnerable when he could have taken steps to minimize coronavirus potential as a killer.

Then there are the American people. Appears half or close to half think they have “rights” not to wear masks, social distance, etc. Caring not for those they come in contact with.

I normally end with “Enjoy Your Day!” Can’t today. Not with the solemn message presented.

Trump’s people demonstrated in Washington yesterday and into this morning’s early hours. As one participant said, “The purpose to keep his spirits up and let him know we support him.”

The name of the demonstration: Make America Great Again.

As usual, disagreement as to the size of crowd. Trump’s press secretary said over 1 million. Police and other persons said, Thousands” or “tens of thousands.”

I watched part of the demonstration. The crowd appeared large to me. I would doubt however it was anywhere close to 1 million.

The crowd was shouting “Stop the steal…..Count every vote…..USA, USA, USA…..Four more years.”

The demonstration ran well past midnight. That was when most of the trouble began.

There were those on the other side. Those not supportive of Trump.

Police arrested 21. One for a stabbing, 20 for assault. I do not know the numbers arrested from each side.

The confrontations involved knives, fists and clubs. I assume guns also. However, I found no mention of guns in the reports.

The neo-Nazi Proud Boys were there in significant numbers.

The Trump people were convinced Trump was cheated. One said, “We can win because he did win.”

Except for 2 instances, Trump has not left the White House since election day. One the Rose Garden address re what might be described as a Covid-19 0ne.

The other involving Trump yesterday. He did not appear before the demonstrators nor speak to them. He was driven past and nodded.

Within the White House itself, discussions do not center around the virus. The discussions center on Trump’s election loss.

A “bunker” mentality is developing.

What goes around comes around.

A report by Newsmax Health this morning provided information re a recent research project. The result: Seniors are turning to pot for common health problems.

The seniors of today are the product of the 1960’s and 1970’s. Just about everyone smoked! Then illegal, today in most areas legal. Especially for medicinal reasons.

Elders are using pot to ease pain, sleep disturbances, and psychotic conditions like anxiety and depression.

I have been writing in recent days about coronavirus and its impact on Key West. Today, let me share a bit of the whole re the State of Florida.

Off the wall! A disaster.

One reason is Florida Governor DeSantis’ relationship with Trump. He is Trump’s lap dog. He has consistently danced to Trump’s tune when it comes to the virus and anything else. So much so that Trump refers to DeSantis as the best Governor in America.

Florida is and has been one of the worst states number wise. Total cases number 871,000. In that number, 17,444 deaths.

Thursday, Florida reported its highest number of new cases in one day: 6,933. Yesterday (Saturday), the number still high though not as much as Thursday: 4,544.

Virus numbers have been surging since October.

Deaths are increasing. Hospitals at the breaking point. Either out or running out of intensive care beds. Medical staffs wiped out.

Comments re the surge the same through out most of the U.S. The surge is on the rise. Dramatically.

A couple of brief reports signifying the increase.

Los Angeles City’s coronavirus numbers are hitting summer highs.

Orange County could be in the “purple tier” as early as next Tuesday, the 17th.

Lancaster County reported 276 new coronavirus cases for Saturday. A record one day high.

Enjoy your Sunday!

It’s Morning Stew time once again! Many topics. Order difficult. Simplest way is to lay out information as it appears in my notes.

First item involves coronavirus in schools.

A particular word has been heard repeatedly the past few days involving the subject. Positivity. Means percentage of students becoming infected with coronavirus during a particular time period. Generally, one week.

First heard this week in New York City. Mayor de Blasio announced friday that if the average positivity rate in the public schools hit 3 percent, the schools would be shut down. Governor Cuomo concurred.

The positivity rate had been holding between 1-2 percent since the schools opened. Now pushing 3 percent. At the same time that coronavirus has been on the upswing in New York City.

Mayor de Blasio said, “We’re going to be very cautions to not let there be a resurgence. By setting this 3 percent goal we’re sending a message: Health and safety first.”

New Yorkers want the schools to remain open.

I was watching the national news last night. Wisconsin and the virus were being discussed.

The school positivity rate was over 40 percent. Would you believe! The schools remain open. There is little public clamor to close them. One reason, there are some who distrust the numbers.

When the Wisconsin decision was made in August to reopen the schools, the positivity rate was 6.5 percent. Repeating, now over 40 percent. Proof Covid-19 moves rapidly. Further proof that children do contact the virus.

The blind cannot see.

Now comes Key West.

I find it strange there has been little reported in the Key West Citizen re coronavirus in Key West schools. I was surprised when I checked the numbers.

As of November 12, total students afflicted 37. Of that number, 28 represented students, 4 teachers, and 5 staff.

Not bad.

Key West High School has 9 cases. Seven students and 2 staff. Horace O’Bryant 5 and Gerald Adams 3. The other schools make up the rest.

The numbers are insignificant compared to new cases elsewhere. There is no reason to close Key West schools based on the numbers. However, the Citizen and School District need to be more diligent in reporting them.

I do not have to worry about Syracuse football today. The team drew a bye. Three games left. Can’t wait for the season to end. As the Brooklyn Dodgers of old used to say: Wait till next year!

Trump’s win/loss record in the courts in recent weeks has been dismal. Not one victory through thursday. Record 0-8.

Yesterday, Trump lost 6 more cases in Pennsylvania. New record 0-14.

It appears all attorneys representing Trump in the election cases have withdrawn. Sources reported last night Rudy Giuliani was taking over the legal election fight on behalf of Trump.

God help Trump and Giuliani’s pocketbook!

Trump is reminding me more and more of Rodney Dangerfield. Neither could get any respect!

One difference, however. Dangerfield was honest.

There is a cry among many that Trump should acknowledge defeat and do what is expected of him between now and January 20. He has not and does not seem willing to do so.

A New York Times Opinion piece yesterday basically said to Trump…..Get out!

The writer Roger Cohen.The title: Mr. President, Pack Your Bags And Be Gone. Its thrust that Trump wants to “preserve, protect and defend only himself.” His country forgotten.

Cohen wrote, “The ruler broods, alone with his rage and shame, undone by rejection, his mind like Macbeth’s, ‘full of scorpions,’ plotting to overturn facts and destroy American democracy. His lackeys, and only they remain, try to humor the master in his labyrinth.”

Cohen further wrote, “His only vow is to preserve, protect and defend himself. He has never been able to see beyond that orange face in the mirror. No Bible offers consolation to this man, no creed, no truth, no sense of decency, not even FOX News now, nothing.”

Another comment this morning in the Citizens’ Voice re Key West government’s failure to handle the coronavirus problem properly: “Our Covid-19 positivity percentage is at dangerous levels. Our officials haven’t done a single thing to improve our situation. This is a blatant dereliction of duty.”

The comment befits the facts. In 2 days this week, nearly 100 new cases were confirmed in Monroe County. Fifty eight of those cases were in Key West.

Thus far, Key West has suffered 1,313 cases. The next 2 Florida Keys communities number wise are Key Largo and Marathon. Key Largo 500 cases and Marathon 250.

Presently, 5 coronavirus cases are being cared for the the Lower Keys Hospital Center.

Most if not all consider Key West having the much higher number because it is “a major entertainment district.”

No argument. However recognizing Key West as such, local officials should do something about it besides succumb to the cries and protests of the bar and restaurant owners and their employees.

New York City is now closing its bars and restaurants at 10 pm. For Key West, that would not be enough. Key West bars and restaurants have to close for a period of time. Tourists don’t come to Key West to visit you and me. They come to party in the bars and restaurants.

Enjoy your day!

The Key West Citizen provides a valuable service with its Citizens’ Voice section. It provides Key Westers and others to speak out on issues of concern to them.

How local authorities have been handling coronavirus concerns is one of them. The County and City Commissions are kow-towing to bar and restaurant owners and their employees. To an extent that can almost be described as forgetting the rest of the citizens of Key West. Who account for much more in number than the bar, etc. people.

One comment, infrequently two, will show up re an issue. Coronavirus issues are becoming more frequent. To the extent that yesterday there were many. I do not ever recall that many in the years I have lived here.

I share several with you.

“Inviting tourists anywhere during a pandemic seems irresponsible. It needs to stop.”

“Thanksgiving is upon us and the city is recommending we not have large gatherings of family and friends to celebrate, while they just approved stuffing as many people as possible into local bars, full of people not masking and not distancing all night. The city needs to stop pandering to businesses who are obviously the cause of our rising COVID-19 cases.”

“As long as we have weak, meaningless Covid-19 rules, we will continue to get crushed by the Miami crowd.”

“The Commission meeting seemed to be all about the welfare of bars and tourists. I didn’t hear much of anything about protecting residents. Ten months later, ‘communication’ isn’t going to solve anything.”

“A curfew is pointless if we don’t enforce the rules before midnight. All over town there are bars and restaurants whose staffs are not following the guidelines all day. If the staff does not follow the rules, how can we expect tourists to? The city should be cracking down.”

“Tourists willing to vacation during a pandemic probably don’t care much about Covid-19 or the residents of Key West. Clearly our leaders don’t care much about the residents either.”

There is madness that attaches.

Miami’s Covid nurses and front line workers were surprised with a free vacation to the Florida Keys. Over one dozen. They had been scheduled for an upcoming mandatory 48 hours of training. Instead they were surprised tuesday with certificates for the vacation.

Why the Keys? Same old story! They can do more and get away with more in Key West than in Miami. Miami should keep its germs in Miami. The Keys neither want nor need them.

A never ending supply of Miamians on weekends. Key West acquiring an “open town” reputation. The gunslinger of yesterday is the coronavirus of today.

I do not know which Key is involved. Whatever, the message is the same: Miamians stay away from our homes!

On the national scene, Trump’s baseless election lawsuits are a disgrace and shameful. Thus far, each and every such lawsuit has been groundless and dismissed. I believe Trump’s record is 0-8.

With a record like that, a coach would be gone. Yesterday’s news.

Not Donald. Yet.

The federal system frowns on groundless lawsuits being brought. The type Trump has been bringing.

Rule 11 of the federal Rules of Civil Procedure apply.

Rule 11 requires an attorney to perform a due diligence investigation concerning the factual basis for any claim or defense.

Claims such as have been brought by Trump, waste a court’s time, resources and other parties’ time.

Lawyers and their law firms can be sanctioned. A fancy word for fined. Significant dollars involved.

In Trump’s cases, federal judges are requiring Trump’s attorneys in open court to swear under oath at the beginning of the case that the case has some factual or legal merit. Each attorney in the phony cases has responded “no.”

A strange procedure.

Cases based on fraud solely to delay , confuse and harass will not be permitted.The attorneys wish neither to be sanctioned nor embarrassed. The lawsuits are then dismissed.

Justice Scalia has always been spoken well of by Trump. Considered by many including Trump to be what every justice and judge in the U.S. should aspire to be.

Justice Scalia in a 1993 opinion re Rule 11 said judges should come down hard on lawyers who abuse the system with delay, confusion and harassment.

Scalia added lawyers should be sanctioned with mandatory fines. He wrote, “In my view” re “litigation abuse” those “who file frivolous lawsuits and pleadings should have no ‘safe harbor.”’ Scalia thought courts must punish this conduct to deter bad behavior and free up the use of the courts! Courts were needed to hear legitimate disputes.

Yesterday an unusual one. It was 7:40 and I was prepared to begin typing my blog. Suddenly, no internet, computer, land line, cell phone and TV.

Not a momentary glitch. The problem resolved one item at a time till around 6 pm when all was well.

When the world was available to me once again, I became aware there had been an accident around mile marker 88. The area has some sort of central station that handles all the items. Note my cell phone is with Verizon. Everything else Comcast.

Never did do the blog.

Also discovered a day without internet or TV is not easy to handle. Boring!!! Nothing to do!!! Tried reading, but was not into it very long.

Glad to be back on line.

Enjoy your day!