Modern Day Benedict Arnold a strong title. I thought about several. Another was Slaps the Constitution That Saved His Ass. How about Bites the Hand That Kept Him Free.

Michel Flynn was pardoned last week by Trump. A lucky man. After all he put the federal Judge through, he was lucky to get the pardon. He was facing a few years in jail.

His most recent action provides a fresh dose of Flynn patriotism. Perhaps Trump/Flynn patriotism.

Jack Holmes wrote an Esquire column that appeared 12/2.

Portions of Holmes opening paragraph tells the story: Flynn…..”endorsed a call for the President to ‘temporarily suspend the Constitution, declare limited martial law,’ have ‘the military oversee a national re-vote,’ and ‘silence the destructive media.”’

A coup by any name.

Flynn an example of the scum Trump swims with in the swamp.

Another column worthy of mention is that of Charles M. Blow in today’s New York Times. Titled: For Trump the Past Is Prologue.

Portions of his opening and closing paragraphs aptly describe Trump: “A fair analysis of Trump’s life…..This is what he has always been: a liar, a con man and a grifter.”

“He doesn’t want to be perceived as a loser, even if he is. He doesn’t want to be perceived as a racist, even if he is. He will bend heaven and earth to create an amenable reality when the real reality is counter to his perception of self.”

In my younger days, I frequently was on Miami Beach. Stayed at the Fontainebleau. Enjoyed its many amenities.

Three or four blocks away was the Forge Restaurant. One or two nights a week, I would stop in for a drink or dinner. The bar active and exciting. The dining room elegant. Food the best.

That was back in the 1960’s and early 1970’s.

I have not returned in all these years. For no other reason that I acquired a condominium at the Jockey Club. There was no reason to leave the Jockey Club. It had everything. Following the Jockey Club, I discovered Key West.

I read today that the Forge Resistant is having a “total auction.” Every thing to be sold. A total renovation to follow.

The new Forge will have to go a long way to beat the one I knew.

Live and learn. Florida’s unemployment checks take forever to be received by those in need of them. Florida ranks 49th in the nation in how long it takes to pay unemployment benefits. Only Hawaii slower.

The size of the check also leaves something to be desired. What it pays not comparable to most states.

Law makers have done nothing to resolve the problem till recently. Governor DeSantis has agreed to look at the problem and correct its deficiencies. Time will tell.

A national study reveals a national recommendation that checks be issued 2-3 weeks. Only 7 states do. There was another study that indicated only 36 percent of the states issued checks within 3 weeks. Whatever, slowness/delay obviously a national problem.

Government today does not appear to care whether those the most needy are effectively serviced.

May Johnson. Life is good these days. Everest still has not got on a boat to take him wherever he works. May gets to spend all her free time with him.

As it should be with lovers.

Yesterday, May and Everest were out and about from after school till 10 in he evening when they returned to May’s home.

Everest left at 11:00. Mama must be happy again that the two are respecting her time limit.

May is happy. She wrote at the end of her diary entry: “Ha! Ha!”

I made a mistake yesterday for which I apologize. I reported Cheryl and Crystal Cates had both died. I was wrong. Only the mother Cheryl.

Crystal remains alive, though still fighting for her life. I wish her a speedier recovery than she has been experiencing thus far. And many years on top of it.

The same for her Dad, the Mayor. Get better and may you and your daughters move on and happily share the years ahead together.

Enjoy your day!

Coronavirus has struck a Key West family in a violent way. One of Key West’s most prominent. Craig and Crystal Cates and their daughter Crystal.

The three were struck low by the virus. Their infection most difficult with which to deal. The three were sent to a Miami hospital several weeks ago for care. Fighting for their the lives the entire time.

Little news is presently available other than two had passed away. As I understand, Crystal first. Then her mother Cheryl. All within a very short time.

Craig remains in bad shape. He is back on the ventilator. A representative of the Key West Citizen tried to talk to him by phone. Craig could not take the call. He did text the reporter however and said he was unable to talk on the phone because he was “struggling to breath.”

I never met the Craig family. Their life was politics. Socialization involved politics. When I moved to Key West, I decided to forego political involvement. Ergo never met Craig, Cheryl and their family. My loss.

Craig was Mayor of Key West for 10 years. Cheryl was Key West’s first lady. Craig was recently elected a County Commissioner.

Even though I never met the family members, I feel a great loss this morning. To the extent of teary eyes as I read about the deaths and the Mayor hanging in there in the Key West Citizen.

I felt I had lost a family member or close friend. It has to be the belief Key Westers hold. We are one human family.

May Cheryl and Crystal rest in peace. God willing, may Craig survive.

The coronavirus numbers are going crazy all over the country. Yesterday’s deaths totaled 3,157. More than died on 9/11.

Coronavirus in the U.S. is less than one year. Trump never appreciated its significance and danger. Interestingly, he has not spoken of the virus since the election.

Locally, bar and restaurant owners have proposed a plan to deal with the virus and their businesses. One facet is they will decide what restrictions, if any, are to be imposed. Beware! It’s like letting the fox in the hen house.

Think for a moment of the theme from Love Story. Where Do I Begin. Recall the words: “Where do I begin to tell the story of how great a LOVE can be…..with angels’ songs, with wild imaginings.”

The emphasis on “love” mine. Delete the word and substitute LIE for it. One word changed and it could be Trump’s theme song.

Trump continues to be a mad man on the stump. He argues he won, Biden lost, and the election was rigged. Not even the courts believe him. He has lost 38 out of 39 lawsuits brought to invalidate the election result in one fashion or another.

Saturday, he will be in Georgia. Purportedly for a “press conference.” It will actually be an opportunity once more to decry the election result.

The man needs a psychiatrist.

The run off election for the two Georgia U.S. Senate seats is January 5. Trump will attack the run off also.

He has already advised Georgia’s Republicans to sit out the vote, claiming it will be another “rigged election.” He also takes the position the two Republican candidates “have not earned your vote.” How this plays in, I am not sure.

Trump’s press secretary Kaylegh McKenany was asked a question about the many large White House parties over the holidays. She responded, “You get looting and protesting, we get the parties.”

A flippant young lady for such an important position.

Pompeo is also throwing parties over in the State Department.

I have a question: Who pays for these parties? The taxpayers? Some special fund? Rich supporters? Who!

I suspect somehow that the monies are coming from some source it should not be. Trump never pays for anything himself. Pompeo cannot afford anything on the scale of large parties.

Trump did a 46 minute video yesterday which was distributed immediately. His talk combative and emphatic. No mention of coronavirus. Merely the election result.

Will he ever give up?

Philip Rucker of the New York Times wrote Trump spewed allegations of voter fraud and outright falsehoods in which he declared the nation’s election system was “under coordinated assault and siege” and “argued it was “statistically impossible” for him to have lost to President-elect Biden.

Second day in a row I have been impressed with an editorial cartoon in the Key West Citizen: “Little Donnie T. wants his run not to die and Little Rudy G. wants his dye not to run.”

The weather. Cold during the night. Turned the heat on again. Supposedly will be better today. Heat turned off a couple of hours ago.

May Johnson a lucky young lady on this day in 1896. Everest missed his boat yesterday. I assume no boat today as he remained all day and into the late evening hours in Key West.

May and Everest got together after school finished and stayed together till evening.

They played by Mama’s rules: “Everest stayed till 11 o’clock. OH SWEET.”

Enjoy your day!

It’s one of those days! So much news. Material galore. So I am rolling out today’s topics as they appears in my notes.

First, a morning happening.

I fell. On the stairs in my home. Sore leg is all I suffered. However my wall at the top of the stairs looks like a Picasso.

I was carrying a large glass of chocolate protein drink up with me to sip on as I wrote. Stubbed my toe as I neared the top. Went flying. As did the chocolate drink.

The wall at the top of the stairs now a work of art! Looks like it will need a paint job to clear what was left after I finished cleaning the wall.

Floor at top of stairs likewise covered. However it is tile and I was easily able to clean the mess.

Why the calamity? Simple. I was not using my cane. This is day 302 on my self-quarantine. I discovered early on the cane was not needed (or so I thought) in the house. When I sensed I was going to fall, there was always a wall or piece of furniture to balance myself.

My theory was good for 302 days. I intend to use my cane in the house more often.

Families not being fed, people being evicted, no work available, etc. The third stimulus package is desperately needed. Such has been the case for several months.

The Democrats came out with their plan in late September or early October. The Senate never voted on it. McConnell has kept it on his desk. Trump says he does not like it.

Not all Republicans have a care not attitude. Four Republican Senators sat down with five Democrats the past few days to see if something could be worked out.

The bill the House approved in September was in the $3 trillion area. The “compromise” bill suggested by the nine Senators yesterday $906 billion. A far cry from what is and has been needed. McConnell thinks it’s too much. Trump does not like it.

They sound like Marie Antoinette: “Let them eat bread!”

Republicans should recall what happened to her.

Trump refuses to give up. Through yesterday morning, 39 lawsuits were brought to have the election declared a fraud, etc. Trump won only 1.

Yesterday after the first 38 defeats, Trump brought another lawsuit. This one in Wisconsin. He has a new tact. He wants the State Supreme Court to nullify and withdraw Governor Evers’ certification of the election.

Does Donald ever learn? When is enough enough with him?

The New York Times reported yesterday that Giuliani sat down with Trump last week to discuss a pardon for Giuliani. Two persons verified the meeting with the Times.

This morning news indicates the issue of Ivanka, Donald Jr., Eric. and son in law Jared arose. Apparently Trump wants them pardoned before he leaves office.

Money flows freely in Washington. A story broke yesterday of a federal court pending lawsuit where someone was tying to bribe another person to get Trump to pardon someone else.

Lawsuit several months old. Nothing further known at this time.

Pardons for sale. Wonder if there will be such a sign on the White House lawn.

Republicans have politically destroyed reality in everything they do. This has to stop.

Such action has been ongoing for at least 30 years. A planned event. Take for example the conservative Supreme Court. The Federalist Society has fought for 30 years or more for it. They now have it. The Court will reek havoc on the American people.

People feel unsafe. Have felt that way for many years. I refer to uneducated whites. Thirty years ago they were making as much as a college graduate. Today so little in comparison. They looked to Trump to return them to the comfortable days they once knew. A time when they felt safe. Not realizing he never would.

A funny cartoon on today’s Key West Citizen’s editorial page. A husband and wife sitting in their rocking chairs watching TV. The husband says: “Look at all the kissing and hugging.” The wife responds: “Will a vaccine bring it back?”

May Johnson this day 1896.

Everest missed the boat. May wrote, “Ev. got left, the boat was gone when he got down, ha!”

The hand writing is on the wall. The Trump ship is going down. The rats are jumping overboard.

Attorney General Barr announced yesterday that the Department of Justice investigation uncovered no widespread fraud that would change election results.

Barr needs to get on the side of truth and righteousness. His ass could be on the line, though I doubt it.

The Georgia special Senate election could turn into blood on the streets. Trump followers protesting big time. At the homes of some election officials. Threats of bodily harm.

Trump recently said voting was rigged in Georgia. Said many times. Suggested Republicans should not even vote on January 5. Implying their votes would mean nothing.

Republican politicians now fear Trump’s comments will keep Republican voters from the polls. Panic is not setting in. It has sunk in.

Various political leaders are coming out advising Republicans to vote.

Interesting.

Georgia has turned into a Michigan. Public employees being threatened. There is a real fear that someone will be seriously harmed.

Parking lot dining in Miami-Dade County has proven to be a hit. Restaurateurs and customers like it.

Restaurants are applying for permission to use their parking lots for dining. Applications being made. Will depend how many parking places a restaurant has. Existing law requires x number of spaces. A restaurant will need extra spaces to set up parking lot dining.

The weather outside is frightful…..Actually not that bad. The problem is that it is the first cold wave of the season. We have to adjust.

I went to sleep with a heavy quilt on me. Woke at 1 am and was cold. Especially my ears. Temperature 61 degrees. Turned the heat on. Within 15 minutes, everything was ok. In fact, it got so warm I did not need the blanket.

Going to be colder tonight. Perhaps high 50’s.

Cold front will have passed friday when the temperature by day will be in the high 70’s.

Understand how I feel. I am not a big fan of cold weather, that’s why I moved to Key West.

Hope you enjoyed today’s Morning Stew.

Enjoy your day, also!

Remember Mel Gibson at the end of the 1955 movie Braveheart. He was leader of a Scottish rebellion against England and eventually captured. His actions were considered treasonous.

It was the high Middle ages.

Gibson’s character was a patriot and national hero to the Scots.

High treason carried a sentence of death. Death by being drawn,  hung, emasculated, disemboweled, beheaded and then quartered.

Not done in a humane fashion. The traitor was fastened to a wooden panel. The panel and traitor were drawn by a horse to a place to be hung. The traitor was hung, but taken down before death occurred. Still alive, the traitor was emasculated, disemboweled, and beheaded. His body was then quartered (cut in four parts). The body parts were then taken to the four corners of the realm for viewing by the populace.

Not a way to go.

Joe diGenova is part of Trump’s election ballot legal team. A U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia for several years during Reagan’s Presidency. Since that time, he has been practicing law with his wife Victoria Toensing in Washington.

Newsmax is an up and coming conservative television network. Similar to FOX. Its founders intend it to be competition for FOX. DiGenova appeared on a recent Newsmax talk show.

Recall Christopher Krebs. He had been serving under Trump in a bureaucratic fashion as a cybersafety chief. Krebs reported the 2020 election in effect was fair and there was no fraud involved.

Trump fired him the next day.

DiGenova said on the Newsmax show that Krebs “should be drawn and quartered. Then taken out at dawn and shot.”

He also said something that is hard to accept: “Man in balloting is inherently corrupt and this election proved it.” I merely share this last statement with you to further evidence diGenova’s state of mind.

Back to the “drawn and quartered, taken out at dawn and shot.”

How sick! Even Trump has not come out with anything so disgusting as a punishment for treason in 4 years. Trump merely says, jail him or her.

DiGenova’s quote not correct either. He left out first being hung almost to death, the emasculation, disembowelment and beheading.

Quartering creates problems for diGenova’s statement. How can a “quartered” man stand to be shot? What value is there in shooting four body parts without a head?

No wonder Trump lost something like 37 election ballot lawsuits. His legal team like the gang that could not shoot straight. Led by the worst shooter of them all, Rudy Giuliani.

Another Trump winner. Scott Atlas. A doctor. Radiologist. For the past 4 months, he has been Trump’s guru as regards coronavirus. Without going into detail, each and every thought he came up with bordered on the ridiculous. Each idea hurting rather than helping Americans.

Trump was so impressed with Atlas, he pushed Fauci to the side. Atlas was Trump’s man. He said things Trump liked to hear. He did not speak truth to power.

He resigned yesterday.

Good riddance.

Evictions have been staved off because of federal and state rulings and  federal financial assistance. The money dried up long ago. The rules to prevent evictions will soon run out.

It was revealed yesterday that there have been 10 million additional Covid cases because of the lack of continued monies.  The number of deaths resulting from the 10 million cases 433,700.

This set of numbers will increase dramatically over the next several months in addition to the expected surge wave in coronavirus cases generally.

Key West weather. Seems a cold wave has come in. Will be with us a few days.

Last night was not bad. Today the high will be 69. Tonight, 61.

We’ll feel the cold tonight.

The Marathon Turtle Hospital in the news again.

Turtles have a hard time surviving in cold waters. The cold “stuns” them. A hypothermic reaction occurs when turtles are exposed to cold water for a prolonged time. Causes them to stop eating and swimming.

Thirty Kemp’s ridley sea turtles were flown from Cape Cod to Marathon saturday.

Not unusual this time of the year. Turtles flown in from all over during cold seasons up north. Sometimes in the several hundreds.

May Johnson. This day in 1896 was a good one from her perspective. After school, she spent the afternoon into the evening with Everest visiting, seeing a show, etc.

They returned to May’s home at 10:15. Everest stayed till 12 o’clock. May’s comment, “Ah!”

Surprised Everest stayed so long. Mother Johnson in the past seemed to want Everest out by 11.

Maybe the extended the time because Everest leaves Key West tomorrow morning.

May will suffer the pains of separation from a loved one.

Tonight Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou! Nine my time. Join me for a quick moving half hour where I rant and rave.

Love it!

www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

This day in 1874. Winston Churchill was born on a table. Yes, a table. Not a very big one either. In a cloak room.

Churchill’s heavily pregnant mother was dancing at a ball. Contractions began. No time to take her anywhere. Not even to an upstairs bedroom.

She was rushed into a nearby cloak room and placed on a table. In a very short time, Winston was born.

Churchill was asked later in life about the circumstances of his birth. He replied with a smile: “Although present on that occasion, I have no clear recollection of the event leading up to it.”

Recall Nate “King” Cole’s 1961 hit whose opening lines went: “I was walking along minding by business, when love came along and hit me in the eye.”

Several years earlier on this day 1954, Elizabeth Hodges of Sylacauga, Alabama, was lying on her couch in her living room sleeping when…..flash, bam, alakazam…..a meteorite crashed through her roof, into the living room, bounced off a radio, and struck Elizabeth on the hip.

The meteorite weighed 8.5 pounds and was 7 inches long.

Fortunately, Elizabeth suffered only bruises to her hip and leg.

Elizabeth’s meteorite was the first in modern history of a person being injured or killed by a falling meteorite.

Today is the last day of the hurricane season. Sigh a breath of relief!

There were a few that caused damage to the north of Key West. However Key West itself was fortunate.

Do not think a hurricane cannot yet hit. It has happened in past years when the season has ended. Hurricanes don’t seem to be aware when the season is over.

I can recall one some 20 years ago. Hit 4-5 days after the end of the season. I had a party planned for the night before. Food, alcohol, flowers, etc. all ordered. I said what the hell, lets go ahead. The storm will not be here till tomorrow.

Two hundred were invited. Big party! One hundred fifty showed up. The fifty who did not attend were smart. They got out of Dodge before the trouble arrived.

Everyone had a good time!

Recall the saying…..the calm before the storm. True! The night of the party the weather was perfect. No wind or rain. Water not moving.

When I got up the next morning, things were starting to stir. I told my then wife and daughter Lisa we were getting out. Key West Airport had been closed for several days. I called Miami and was able to get 3 reservations for a 7 am flight the next morning.

The drive to Miami was bumper to bumper. Took 10-12 hours to get there. Both lanes of U.S. 1 were “out only.”

We were fortunate also to get reservations at the Miami Airport hotel for the night.

Staying with weather for the moment, Key West weather turns tonight. It will get cold!

Thunderstorms predicted for the day. High temperature 79. However, it will fall to 67 during the night.

Those not familiar with Key West will laugh when I say it will be cold. We who live here all year long have thin blood. We get cold easily. Seventy four is the dividing line.

Means a heavy blanket and maybe heat tonight. Long pants tomorrow as the high will only be 69.

I am not complaining. Merely sharing. Though rarely, it is not always sun, shorts and beaches.

A bit of coronavirus.

Dr. Fauci said Thanksgiving could lead to “a surge superimposed upon that surge that we’re already in.”

People disregarded warnings from the experts to not travel, have family group dinners, etc.

It is going to happen again just as it did following Memorial Day. In 2-4 weeks, the numbers are going to shoot up.

We Americans are a spoiled lot. We do not want to sacrifice anything. Such is why the numbers are so high and continue rising.

America’s greatest lawyer! Rudy Giuliani! Says who?

Giuliani told a reporter over the weekend that the “goo” dropping from his head were “brains.” He has a sense of humor.

Trump attorney team members said Giuliani’s bid to overturn the election was “deranged.” They also described pushing election fraud cases in court as a “clown car.” Finally, Giuliani was ill suited to litigating Trump’s cases.

The automobile industry changed this day in 1965 and the lives of many Americans have been saved as a result.

Ralph Nader published “Unsafe At Any Speed: The Designed In Dangers Of The American Automobile.” Safety became paramount as a result.

Within one year, there was a new law: The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Only 4 states mandated safety belts. Within one year that number rose to 49. New Hampshire the hold out.

Syracuse has only one football game left. Next saturday against #2 Notre Dame. Doubt my team will win.

This past saturday Syracuse lost a close one to North Carolina State 36-29.

Syracuse’s record similar to Giuliani’s. Both have only one victory.

Enjoy your day!

The world is not a pleasant place to live at the present time. Problems galore. Serious ones.

I have days like most where I am sick and tired of that which is going on. Like today: Trump, coronavirus, disputed election results, assassinations, Israel and Iran, unemployment, hunger, food lines, evictions, mortgage foreclosures, inadequate hospital space and hospital personnel, etc.

I have had it and I am sure you also.

So a change of pace day! Today’s blog involves a topic unrelated to today’s problems.

Kissing.

In March 2012, I was writing a weekly column for KONK Life. One of the articles was KISSING. Why, I don’t recall. Whatever. Today I am republishing the column. Hope you enjoy.

KISSING

Kissing.

A pleasant pass time. Quite enjoyable.

Anything so popular and good is not without its detractors. There were persons and institutions that attempted to ban kissing.

At the beginning of civilization, men and women would sniff and smell each other. People were identified by their body odors.

At some point in time, the heads slipped during the smelling process and lips touched. Kissing was born.

Early kissing continued to be part of the identification process. Romantic kissing did not come into existence till around 1,000 B.C. India was its birth place.

The first identification of kissing as a romantic sense of expression was contained in a poem. The poem was written by an Indian poet, Mahabharta. He wrote “…she set her mouth to my mouth and made a noise that produced pleasure in me.”

Alexander the Great conquered the known world at his time. Kissing was known in certain of the middle east countries he conquered as romantic in nature. Alexander and his men enjoyed the experience so much that they introduced kissing through out Europe.

By the time of Julius Caesar, Romans had become big time kissers. Romans of Caesar’s time have been described as “kissing fools.” The Romans especially enjoyed “soul kissing.” The soul kissing of Caesar’s time is the French kissing of today.

Emperor Tiberius did not like kissing. Leprosy was a problem during his reign. He believed kissing caused the transfer of leprosy from one person to another. Tiberius banned kissing.

The ban was ineffective. The people enjoyed kissing too much.

The biggest romantic kissing killjoys were the Christians. Sex has always had an evil connotation of sorts in the Catholic Church. Pope Clement V in 1312 decreed sensuous kissing a mortal sin. “Kissing done with intent to fornicate is…a mortal sin.”

From Pope Clement V forward, the Catholic Church sought to ban romantic kissing. Just as some Christians of today would ban pleasurable sex.

Of course, the ban did not fly with the people. Interestingly, the missionaries to the New World are credited with the spread of kissing here. It is humorous to learn that the early missionaries were responsible for spreading kissing, as well as the word of God. For what ever reason, they encouraged those they sought to convert to indulge in it.

There is a corollary between yesterday and today. Just as early law makers and the Catholic Church failed to effectively ban kissing, today’s politicians and Catholic Church will fail similarly with regard to pleasurable sex.

Pence was at a political rally in Georgia yesterday. He told the crowd that there would be 40 million vaccines across the U.S. before year’s end.

He proudly said, “We’re in the miracle business.”

He continues to delude himself, his Master and 74 million voters. Pence and Trump rather have been in the business of death and destruction. The Four Horsemen again.

Think of the number of coronavirus dead and those made sick. Think also of the many businesses and jobs lost.

Simply because Pence and Trump were grossly ineffective in the job they were doing. They did next to nothing as far as coronavirus was concerned.

The U.S. recently passed the 13 million mark in confirmed coronavirus cases. In less than a year.

The number would not be so high had Pence and Trump performed as political leaders are expected.

In the next 4 weeks, the 13 million will rise exponentially. Thanksgiving weekend will be the primary cause. Not everyone wanted to follow the rules. Now many will pay. Some who did what they wanted. Others who followed the rules but became infected anyhow by those who brought the virus home with them.

The Supreme Court’s wednesday night decision re churches and synagogues will also contribute big time to the larger numbers coming. It is difficult to understand the decision. Freedom of religion superseding the health of the nation.

CNN referred yesterday to the decision as the “Supreme Court’s scientifically illiterate decision which will cost lives.”

Trump, Pence and now the Supreme Court! Who worries and cares about the people?

Trump as a litigant is not doing well. He really needs a lawyer! Not the team he has which is lead by Rudy Giuliani.

The team lost another case. Trump and the team’s record 1-31. Would you hire a team of lawyers who lost 31 cases concerning a particular issue? You have to be crazy!

The Federal Circuit Court sitting in Pennsylvania ruled the case before them consisted of “claims having no merit.”

Most if not all the 31 losses were decided on similar grounds.

There comes a time when any common sensed person would say no more! Not Trump and his team of legal geniuses. They know everything!

New York is suffering from the surge now ongoing. New York reported this week the most coronavirus cases in a single day since April 14. Eight thousand persons tested positive.

Some things close to my heart are not working out. Especially at a time when I have thus far spent 298 days in self-quarantine. I don’t ask for much. Just a little bit.

Like Syracuse doing well.

The football season is close to over. Fortunately! I cannot bleed orange every saturday.

Hope was on its way, however. The Syracuse basketball team.

The team played its first game yesterday against Bryant. A nobody, a non-entity. Well, Bryant only lost by one point 85-84.

Please Lord, not with the basketball team too!

Shoestring Weekend Blog an interesting read. It publishes once a week on Feedspot. The blog shares strange unknown things about the Keys.

This week’s especially good. The blog revealed 2 things I knew nothing about.

First, there is a President Franklin Delano Roosevelt flag pole on White Street. Which brings into play the second item. The flagpole is located at the intersection of White Street and White Street.

I never knew of the existence of the flagpole. And the intersection blows my mind. White at White. The next time I have a medical visit, I will search the information out and advise.

No question May likes Everest. Perhaps loves him.

Everest apparently was vacationing this week in 1896 in Key West. May wrote in her diary: “Ev. and I had the piazza, he didn’t want to go when the clock struck eleven. Oh!”

Something we all have experienced. Love is wonderful!

Enjoy your day!

Today is the 40th anniversary of Syracuse’s first basketball game at the Carrier Dome.

I was there. For that game and many others.

The Carrier Dome was new. It had opened for the football season in September. I was there for that first game also.

I was a die hard Syracuse fan. When the Carrier Dome was under construction, I contracted for  a box. The lease was for 10 years. One of the best things I ever did.

The box was the center of my life those 10 years.

Missed very few football or basketball games.

The box was impressive. Sixteen seats. Bar in the rear. Between the bar and the last row of seats, a standing area that held another 10-12 persons. Needless to say, the box was standing room only for the big games.

There was a catering service. Drinks and food each game.

Friends and clients alike enjoyed the box those 10 years. My popularity grew. Everyone wanted to see a Syracuse game from a box.

It was also a family thing. My children grew up with the box. My grandchildren when tiny crawling around the standing space.

I have mentioned the following in the past. Joe Biden was a guest whenever he was in Syracuse. He needed no invitation.

Biden was a Syracuse law graduate. He was a frequent visitor to the campus.

One thing especially impressed me about Biden. He never came to a game with the local Democratic big wigs. Instead, always with his friends from law school. Said a lot about the man.

By the way, Syracuse beat Columbia that first basketball game.

The box came with seats on the floor also. For basketball, eight immediately behind the Syracuse bench. Can you imagine how exciting it was to hear Boeheim work the team in huddle. Yelled at them most of the time.

Forty years later today and Syracuse opens the season with its first game at the Carrier Dome. Playing Bryant. A warm up game. Syracuse should win decisively.

Boeheim will not be at the game. He tested positive for coronavirus last week.

Coronavirus. How can it be described these days. Definitely out of control. Deaths rising dramatically. Scary.

Lets hope the vaccine works.

The U.S. death toll is 63,000. It has been reported 60,000 more deaths can be anticipated in the next 3-4 weeks.

How many additional cases will the Thanksgiving weekend bring? Whatever, not good. Many did not listen and traveled.

Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. Monroe County recorded 47 new cases. Twenty eight in Key West.

Monroe County’s total number of cases as of wednesday 3,204. Of that number, 1,835 were in Key West. The closest Keys city number wise was Key Largo with 406.

Key West is getting the hell knocked out of it. Yet state and local authorities continue to permit tourists. Mask wearing and social distancing have not readily been enforced. Bars and restaurants doing a big business. Making money and spreading the virus at the same time.

I have mentioned often in the past and yesterday as well that Governor DeSantis is incompetent. His brain in the seat of his pants. A true blue allie of Trump.  So much so that Trump refers to DeSantis as the “best governor in America.”

DeSantis came out with a new executive order wednesday. One which provides coronavirus with a free ticket to go and do its thing anywhere in Florida.

Two edicts. The first that local authorities cannot close bars and restaurants that fail to comply with local virus restrictions. The second that local authorities cannot fine residents who refuse to wear face masks.

Chris King was the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for Lt. Governor in 2018. He said re the new DeSantis rules: DeSantis “continues the killing spree.”

I believe the U.S. Supreme Court has also with its wednesday night decision that a state cannot limit religious seating as it violates freedom of religion.

I rarely am impressed with Key West Citizen editorials. Today’s, I am. A winner.

The editorial is titled: “Brace For Covid-19 Impact On Florida.”

The editorial notes state leaders have done little to stop the spread. DeSantis and his 2 rulings yesterday perfect examples.

Dr. Alonso is Palm Beach County’s Health Director. She recently expressed some fitting words. She said, “Infections in the County are spiking for the third time…..This spike is different…..It has expotential growth…..goes straight up. There is no curve to it.”

She believes crowded bars and restaurants fuel the infection rate. Especially the young frequenting these establishments.

Dr. Alonso claims State officials are not helping. “They have handcuffed local leaders.”

She views DeSantis and Trump as birds of a feather. DeSantis follows Trump’s words to the letter echoing: “We are not shutting down.”

An excellent column by Susan Estrich on the Citizen’s editorial page. The title says it all: “Drain The Swamp With Trump In It”

I close with “local news” of endearing quality. May Johnson’s life in 1896 Key West.

On this day, it is clear Everest is visiting. Everest her claimed lover. They spent time off and on this day together. Then May spent evening hours with Everest at her home: “Ev. stayed till 11:15, ah!”

Enjoy your day!

I’m a good boy. I always play by the rules. I can especially understand why I will be alone this holiday. Would not make sense for a guy who has self-quarantined for 296 days to not.

I love holidays! Love family and friends getting together. Miss it. Not just this day. All the holidays. Divorce changes things like family gatherings.

Lisa is making me a dish and having it delivered. I am looking forward to it.

I will not be alone. Cathy of Cocktails at 7 will be with me via Syype. She is alone. We will suffer through a portion of the day together.

I’m even going to shave and dress a bit for the occasion.

The details of the first Thanksgiving not as most think. No turkey. Deer instead.

The Wampanoag Indians 90 strong and their Chief Massaoit brought the meat. Deer.

Turkeys were indigenous to the area. However for whatever reason were not on the menu.

The Pilgrims provided local sea food consisting of mussels, lobster and bass. Also fruit, including pumpkin. Whether in pie form, I could not ascertain.

No potatoes. In a sense, they did not exist yet. At the time, potatoes were just being shipped from South America to Europe.

My Buffalo friends Fran and Tom Dixon are enjoying the holiday in Paris. I envy them! I am confident they are having one terrific time.

Interestingly in spite of my travels, I never made it to Paris. There is still time.

As many now do, Fran is now making face masks. I received several from her before they left for Paris. Well done. Comfortable. All kinds of designs.

The Keys face a definite problem re rising sea levels. No question, upward bound. Twenty five yeas from now, things will be out of control if we do not start dealing with the problem in the reasonable future.

It has been determined that half of Monroe County roads will be covered. Discussions and studies already underway.

The main problem will be money. Estimated in the billions.

I think Everest is back.

May in her diary entry for this day 1896, mentions “Ev.” several times. I sense the romance: “Ev. and I had the parlor to ourselves until 6:30.”

The politicization of the Supreme Court is obvious from a decision rendered last night. Why last night, I am not sure. Strange in itself. However has nothing to do with the politicization of the Court.

The decision a 5-4 one. Involved limiting gatherings in churches and synagogues. New York’s Governor Cuomo had been limiting because of coronavirus.

The Court decided Cuomo’s limitation violated the freedom of religion clause of the Constitution. The majority decision read in part: The restriction was “far more severe than has been shown to prevent the spread of the virus.”

New Justice Barrett voted with the conservative side. Chief Justice Roberts with the liberals.

I believe the decision a political one because it is one that without question would please the evangelicals who support religions generally. A Catholic group and a Jewish group were the parties who brought the lawsuit and whom the majority decision supported.

There is something wrong today when a particular group refuses to see the harm large groups of people bring. Coronavirus spreads easily under such conditions.

Further, the majority has to be blind if it does not see nor take into account that 62,000 Americans have died from the virus in less than one year.

Michael Flynn and Donald Trump are birds of a feather. Bad guys.

Trump yesterday pardoned Flynn. Very strange to me. Flynn twice in open court plead guilty to the charge against him.

Flynn’s strangeness in his thought process first came to my attention at Trump’s inauguration. It had been announced Flynn was to be Trump’s National Security Adviser.

Flynn was seated only a few feet away as Trump was being sworn in. He was texting at the moment. Texting a former business partner. They were discussing a nuclear power project that would require lifting sanctions on Russia. Flynn said, it was “good to go.” Flynn further said he could see sanctions on Moscow “ripped up.”

I wonder who will pardon Trump. I do not believe he can pardon himself. Even if through some devious plan he gets himself pardoned, it will do him no good against State charges. New York is ready to go after him once he is out of office.

Disney is hurting because of the virus. Disney announced it will be laying off 32,000 employees from the theme parks in Orlando. The lay offs will begin in the first half of 2021.

Florida’s Governor DeSantis is lacking in mental acumen. His intelligence resides in the seat of his pants.

DeSantis announced yesterday that he was doubling down on two virus problems. Not the correct way, however.

He decided that local governments cannot fine people who do not mask-up. He also prohibited local governments from ordering restaurants to close without public health or economic data to justify the move.

DeSantis supporting the economy rather than the health of Florida’s citizens.

At least he’s consistent. He is Trump’s lap dog. Does everything as Trump suggests. That is why Trump on more than one occasion has said, “DeSantis is America’s best Governor.”

Keep in mind that thus far Florida has had 962,000 confirmed cases. Included are 18,253 who died.

Enjoy the holiday best you can!

Craig Cates, wife Cheryl and daughter Crystal seriously ill in a Miami Hospital. Coronavirus.

All three in intensive care. All three “fighting for their lives.” At the moment, Crystal the worst. Cheryl close behind. Craig appears to be coming around.

Craig a popular Key Wester. Mayor of Key West for 10 years. Recently elected to his first 4 year term as a Monroe County Commissioner.

They are in Jackson Memorial Hospital. In adjoining ICU rooms.

A prayer and best wishes in order.

The Citizens’ Voice continues to represent the voice of the people. Primarily locals. Some tourists.

The number of complaints re coronavirus’ impact on Key West an increasing number the past 2 weeks. Today’s Key West Citizen lists 13 comments. Nine are by locals complaining about the COVID-19 problem.

Came across yesterday’s Corbett Report this morning. Never heard of it before. Did a little digging.

It is an extreme political publication. A far out right publication. Published weekly. Its owner, editor, etc. James Corbett.

Yesterday’s article merely one title and one paragraph. Speaks for itself.

Title: What No One Is Saying About The Lock Downs.

“If your advocating for lock downs, you are complicit in tearing families apart…..inflicting untold suffering on millions of people around the world. You are complicit in casting the poor and most vulnerable in our societies into ever further grinding poverty. YOU ARE COMPLICIT IN MURDER (emphasis added).

Began in 2007, the Corbett Report prides itself on being an independent, listener-supported alternative news source. It operates on the principle of open source intelligence.

A nutty publication!

Birds of a feather flock together. Sometimes like glue. Cannot be separated.

NBC reported yesterday Trump disregard for Giuliani and other lawyers in the election ballot cases. It was reported Trump said, they are “fools that are making him look bad.”

Giuliani is scheduled to be in Gettysburg today. Last night it was reported Trump asked Giuliani if he might join him.

This morning the White House appeared to be backing off Trump making the trip claiming Gettysburg was not on Trump’s schedule for today. Trump’s comment was described as an “off the record” moment.

What is this Gettysburg event all about?

Republicans are the majority in the Pennsylvania Senate. The Majority Senators are holding a “hearing” re allegations of fraud in the election.

The “hearing” is not being held in the State Capitol. Instead, at a hotel.

I thought the Pennsylvania election ballot issue had been put to rest. State and local officials have repeatedly advised no evidence had been found of widespread voter fraud. Two courts in Pennsylvania , one federal and the other state, dismissed lawsuits seeking to block certification. The appropriate Pennsylvania agency has certified Biden the winner.

In addition, the top cyber security officer in Washington Christopher Krebs signed a statement last week that the election was the “most secure” in U.S. history. Trump fired him the next day.

In Washington, the General Services Administration has allowed the transition to proceed.

Again, why the “hearing?’ Nothing to be achieved, except throwing dirt re the Biden win.

This “hearing” will have witnesses. The witnesses will be those who signed affidavits for the court proceedings. It has been described that the witnesses will give “testimony” re 2020 election fraud.

Plans are that similar “hearings” will be held in Michigan next week and after that in Arizona. No evidence of fraud deduced in the lawsuits brought in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Arizona lawsuits.

Trump, Giuliani and the Pennsylvania Senators are beating a dead horse. The hearings merely to rabble rouse and incite.

Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou last night. Spent a good portion of the show talking about Angelica Harris, the lady who needs a donor kidney. Keep her in mind. You never know when you will hear something that might help.

Enjoy your day!