How sick can Florida’s Republican legislature get? For that matter, even DeSantis?

Newest example is a House bill passed last week allowing transgender children to be removed from their families.

The bill permits transgender minors to be removed if they receive gender-affirming care.

A similar bill was approved last month by the Senate.

DeSantis has previously expressed support for the bill and is expected to sign it into law when it reaches him.

The recent Fort Lauderdale epic rainstorm did a real number on the community. One part is City Hall. It has been determined the building is “on life support” and a new one is required.

The present building is 8 stories. Its condition so bad no one has been allowed inside to conduct city business.

The building was constructed in the 1960’s. The rainstorm caused flooding from the top of the building downward and from the bottom of the building upward. Every air handler and network of electrical panels ruined. To keep the building open in its present condition would cost $175,000 a day. Staggering! 

Another mass shooting. Early sunday at a prom after party in Austin, Texas attended by 250 persons. Just after midnight.

Nine teenagers shot. Fortunately, no one killed.

No further facts available. The matter still under investigation.

The United States spends more on military than the next 10 nations combined.

In 2022, the U.S. spent $877 billion. China #2 spent only $292 billion. Russia # 3 spent $86 billion.

Parrots have the capacity to communicate with each other. They are being taught to make video calls to each other. Friendships being developed as a result.

This information has been revealed based on a study by Northeastern University in collaboration with scientists from MIT and the University of Glasgow. Domesticated birds were taught to call one another on tablets and smartphones. They developed the ability to video call one another on Facebook Messenger.

The language their own. Not human.

The City of Syracuse, N.Y. holds a special place in my history and heart. Three years of law school. A satellite law office. Law school and University supporter for years. Basketball and football supporter. Private box at the Carrier Dome. Etc.

The community was recently named the “Best Bar Town” in America. So determined by Barstool Sports.

The last time I was in Syracuse was 18 years ago for my court trial divorce hearing. Never knew Syracuse to be boozing town in all the years I was there. Drinking yes, boozing no. Syracuse was “normal” when it came to alcohol consumption.

Obviously drinking has to have increased significantly during my absence. I’m not sure the increase in drinking/boozing is anything to be proud of. 

The consumption has to be wild. Key West is a drinking town. Goes with its tourist designation. Shameful Syracuse has achieved the reputation.

Enjoy your day!

Judy Blume is one of Key West’s favorite and most loved residents.

One of America’s greatest writers. She ranks with Hemingway. Many works she authored were invaluable to young ladies.

Two of her books have been reduced to film. Both will be available for viewing Friday. Their arrival being referred to as the Spring of Judy Blume.

One is “Judy Blume Forever,” a documentary about her career and influence stream. It will be available on Amazon Prime. The other, a movie adaptation of “Margaret” hits the theaters.

Tom and Fran Dixon have been two of my dearest friends for 15 years. They hail from Buffalo. Tom a Syracuse fanatic as I am. Fran the cook I wish I was. The woman is fabulous! She prepares all kinds of goodies which she brings me on the 3-4 trips they make to Key West each year.

They are here on business also. Tom has a small interest in Ocean Key House and is attending a board meeting this week.

The photo is the three of us taken at La Te Da where we had dinner Thursday night.

Recent controversy re court decisions is proving to be a good tool in bringing attention to questionable dealings by judges.

Texas federal judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk authored the controversial mifepristone decision. His “reward” was a review of his financial disclosure form. Such indicated he redacted the name of a stock he owns that is worth at least $5 million.

Redaction is permissible under certain circumstances. Whatever, sounds strange to me.

Additional information has surfaced re the Supreme Court’s late Friday decision re the mifepristone matter. The vote was 7-2 to delay enforcement of Kacsmaryk’s decision, etc. The majority wrote no decision. Merely an order. Alito and Thomas dissented. Alito wrote a decision which by silence Thomas supported.

Alito’s opinion accused by name three female Justices of hypocrisy. The three Justices Kagan, Sotomayor and Barrett. Kagan and Sotomayor considered liberals, Barrett, conservative. Alito levied the hypocrisy charge because the case was on the “shadow docket” and the three had criticized Alito of its use in the past.

The time has come for Alito and Thomas to retire. Thomas may be impeached. As I have advised in the past, Alito is still bitter he was not elevated to the Chief Justice position years ago when Roberts was so designated. His unhappiness has been reflected in everything he has done as a Justice since.

Republicans are getting ready for the next Presidential election. A major issue at a recent supposedly secret Republican donor retreat was the necessity to make it harder for college students to vote. Also, the need to limit same day voter registration and the automatic mailing of ballots to registered voters.

Republicans would be better to address “issues” instead of how to thwart ease of voting. Will they ever learn?

The E. Jean Carroll – Trump rape trial begins Tuesday in New York federal court.

The case was sued in 2019. It has taken 4 years to reach the trial stage. Trump has avoided the trial like a plague. Even to several applications in the past two weeks to delay the trial.

The jury result is going to be interesting. Trump claims “he did not know her” and she “was not his type.”

Mind boggling: Science Magazine reported more than 19,000 undersea volcanoes have been discovered.

A danger not only because of eruption possibility, but also to submarines. Two American submarines have already been involved.

In 2005, the nuclear powered USS San Francisco collided with one killing a crew member and injuring most on board. In 2021, the USS Connecticut struck a volcano top in the South China Sea causing damage to it sonar array.

Enjoy your Sunday!

The Supreme Court ruling re mifepristone came down last night. The Court reserved access to the pill for now. It blocked limiting access to it for a time. It ruled in effect the case should take the normal course through the federal court appellate systems.

Beware! I would not trust the Republican majority on the Supreme Court on a stack of Bibles. My fear is they are merely delaying their real intent: To deny access to the pill as they did to abortion in the Dobb’s decision which basically killed abortion in most parts of the U.S.

I am 87. In July will be 88. I have a lot of company. More and more people are “getting old.” In their 80’s and 90’s. A good number making it into the 100’s.

New York Times columnist Gail Collins wrote an interesting article on the topic of aging in today’s Times: “How 90 Has Become The New 60.”

She mentioned her being invited to more and more 90th birthday parties: “The really truly – older cadre is zooming.”

Collins reminds us Biden is 80 plus, Gloria Steinem 89. Steinem who is on a tour of Zambia says older people are “past worries about job, family, saving for the future – this is the future!”

Ninety is the new 60.

Collins wrote, “It’s clearly dumb to treat the…..older as a doddering puppet of great-great grandparents.”

“Doddering” I am not. My head is still as good as it was at 40. My body like a car. It breaks down as it ages. Must keep having it fixed. Hopefully the problems continue to be fixable.

Collins reminds us to keep in mind that Biden in his 80’s is better than DeSantis who is 44. She claims DeSantis “is giving youth a bad name.”

Right she is!

Key West lover and frequent visitor Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson wrote about Republicans and abortion in today’s newspaper: “Republicans’ Longtime Opposition To Abortion Is Coming Back To Haunt Them.”

The column’s opening line: “Be careful what you wish for. Republican zealots spent decades trying to erase the Constitutional right to abortion. Last year, they finally succeeded – and now they are reaping the whirlwind.”

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). A smart woman. One of tomorrow’s leaders. Re the debt ceiling, she says Republicans are too much of themselves to negotiate with on the budget and debt ceiling. She refers to Republicans as “that”: “Negotiating with that is like trying to nail jello to a tree.”

Researchers have predicted a slightly below average hurricane season. Hope they are correct.

Hurricanes are fickle. They are wind. Sailing fans understand. The wind changes constantly and radically. You never really know when and how strong.

May the researchers be correct. If wrong, on the side of less being even more less.

Citizens’ Voice this morning. Words of wisdom: “Help fix this crisis or we won’t have any more service people! Those of you financially comfortable enough to offer long-term affordable housing for locals, please do so! Especially if you have a one unit or studio accessory dwelling, show your love for the island and rent it for less than $2,000. Save Key West!”

Last night Brady’s!

I went to Sally O’Brien’s for dinner. Not Sally O’Brien’s anymore. Brady’s!

Same place, same menu, same help.

Enjoyed wings and onion rings. A soul satisfying meal.

Met two new people. Spent quite a while chatting with them. Paul and Dina.

Paul and Dina knew each other. Were not together, however. One sat on one side of me, the other the opposite side.

Dina’s name immediately struck me as interesting. Same first name as Dina Markis who I had dinner with twice last week. Dina and her husband Theos my friends from Greece.

Dina’s husband is having some heart problems. Scheduled for a heart catherization. Paul and I comforted her. We both have had heart catherizations. No big deal.

Paul a CPA. An interesting person. Close to retirement. We covered a multitude of situations. Especially family.

I look forward to visiting with both again.

Needed gas. Shortage still exists at some stations. Could not get any till I hit the third station.

Busy day ahead. Sloan at noon. I have been up since 5 working on the blog. It will be 2 this afternoon or later before I can pack it in and grab a mid afternoon nap.

Enjoy your day!

Bess Levin in a 4/20 article wrote: “Everything is coming up Murdoch.” The article: In Comically Evil Twist, FOX Will Receive A Huge Tax Break From Its Dominion Settlement.

Levin wrote that thanks to an “arcane line” in the U.S. Tax Code – which allows companies to write off “ordinary and necessary” business expenses – “FOX will be able to deduct the nine figure settlement from its income taxes and receive a tax break up to $213 million.”

Brian Nick, chief communications officer for FOX, confirmed the “tax deduction, but not amount,” to Daniel Shaviro, an NYU tax professor.

Anticipated Supreme Court decision by midnight tonight re mifepristone could be one of the most brazen attacks on America’s health yet. So says Dr. Jack Resnick Jr., President of the American Medical Association.

Joke of the day: An attempt to humorize DeSantis attacks on Disney.

A tongue in cheek report. Yesterday, Governor DeSantis ended his feud with Disney. He has replaced Disney with an attack on the Smurfs. The campaign expected to be a scorched earth one.

In a major policy speech, DeSantis accused the Smurfs of spreading a message of “blue supremacy” and vowed to ban the teaching of Smurf to students from Florida schools.

A break in the Disney tirade.

Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema living well spending more than $100,000 in campaign amounts on jets, limos, luxury hotels and wine.

Not proper fodder for reelection.

Well done!

A Russian warplane accidentally bombed its own city. The Russian city Belgorod. Twenty five miles from the Ukraine border.

The Russian government described the bombing as an “accident.”

Conch Republic Days Celebration begins today. Runs through 4/30. Marks the Conch Republic 1982 invasion of Key West followed by the Conch Republic’s immediate surrender to the U.S. and reinvention of Key West as the independent Conch Republic. 

Many interesting fun filled events. Best from my point of view is the Great Sea Battle at 7 pm on friday 4/28. A sea and air battle. Like you would not believe. Conch Republic bi-planes dropping streaming rolls of toilet paper on U.S. Coast Guard vessels.

Enjoy the week! Festivities every day!

A most enjoyable evening! Dinner last night at La Te Da with Fran and Tom Dixon. Friends for 15 years.

The meal scrumptious. For me, crispy duck.

We had a lot of catching up to do.

Fran always brings me something. A food product she prepared. Some trips home made Italian sauce with chunks of beef and pork. Others home made candy. This trip home made candy. Peanut butter covered in chocolate and fudge. I enjoyed some of both when I returned home. Why not!

We’ll grab another night before they leave.

The day itself busy yesterday. Some business first. Then a manicure with Tammy. Followed by lunch at Hogfish where I enjoyed a blackened grouper Reuben.

On the go all day and night.

Enjoy your today!

Golf’s greatest had fusion surgery on his right ankle in New York City. It is expected he will be unable to play competitively the rest of the year. The doctor who performed the surgery said it was successful. However, time will be required for healing.

It is Tiger’s body. His to use as he sees fit. His desire for another major win his driving force. His judgment controls.

I personally think he should pack it in. It is doubtful anyone will ever reach the heights he has in the golf world. Nevertheless, his call.

Another major figure is suffering. California’s Senator Feinstein. A member of the Senate for 31 years since entering in 1992. 

Age has take its toll. Her present problem is shingles. It has done her in since February.  She has been unable to perform her Senate duties in Washington since then.

She is a member of the Judiciary Committee. Democrats control the Committee by 1 vote 11-10. The Judiciary Committee approves federal judges. A backlog has developed because Feinstein is unavailable to be present to vote. The Republicans have refused to permit another Democrat to sit in her seat so the judicial processing may proceed.

Understandable. It’s called politics.

The importance of a vote taking place is clear when one recalls how Senator McConnell blocked 2 separate votes to the Supreme Court. What he did made possible today’s Republican balance of power on the Court.

No time to make any mistakes regarding approval of the new judges. 

Feinstein should do the right thing. Resign. She has already indicated she does not intend to run again in 2024. Her party and America will respect her decision as the correct one. Otherwise, what occurred with the Supreme Court nominees will occur with this batch of prospective judges. Which will result in fewer Democratic leaning judges making it to the federal bench.

A rape trial begins in federal court next tuesday in New York City. Donald Trump is the defendant.

Trump’s attorney has written the judge asking that Trump’s presence be excused. He advised Trump “wants to appear.” However his presence would require multiple security arrangements. Such he claimed would be cumbersome for the residents of New York so it would be better were Trump not physically present.

What bullshit!

Trump does not want to appear because he does not want to sit and listen to the woman who is accusing him of rape describe what he did and how he did it.

The decision is up to the judge. Or, so I believe. I am not sure a defendant can excuse himself from a trial. The judge’s decision is imminent since the trial begins in a few days. 

McCarthy came out with the House Republican budget plan yesterday. Finally! I would describe it as dead on arrival. 

The debt ceiling merely requires a vote to approve/increase the present budget by unanticipated dollars already spent during the past fiscal year. It does not involve any new bills. 

The problem generally was resolved by an automatic vote by both parties till recent years. Now the Republicans want to make something out of nothing. They yell how the Dems are increasing the budget. Not so. Merely approving monies already spent with Republican House approval. Nothing new added.

McCarthy in his bill has added cuts to existing bills already law so as to eliminate $4.5 trillion from already approved programs.

He is playing dirty.

Biden says no way.

Republicans could force the government to close down in a couple of months because it will have run out of money if the debt ceiling is not increased. Economic disaster for the U.S. and world. Markets will crash. Federal employees will be laid off. Social Security checks will not go out. Medicare bills will not be paid.

Not the way to run a government. Especially our government.

DeSantis keeps attacking Mickey Mouse and all of Disneyworld. Now he threatens to build a jail next to Disneyworld. Terrific place for a jail. Next door to where thousands of children come every day to visit Mickey and friends.

There may be some wisdom to DeSantis’ folly. Perhaps he is practicing with Mickey to get ready for sitting across the table from Putin, Xi, and Jung.

Respectfully, he’s an asshole!

Some gas stations in Key West and the lower Keys have been without gas the past couple of days. The rains in Fort Lauderdale and Miami last week kept fuel trucks from making their runs to the Keys.

The trucks are on the move again. However Key West and the lower Keys are the end of the line. No fuel left in the tanker trucks for the area. They turn around and return north to refill before even coming close to us.

May the problem get finally resolved today and the gas stations are all up and running.

Party time tonight at La Te Da. More friends have arrived. Buffalo’s Fran and Tom Dixon. We are having dinner together at La Te Da. I look forward to being with them. Great friends for years!

A manicure with Tammy at noon.

Enjoy your day!

Fred Klein Blown Away! Literally. 

The lovely lady in the photo is Lori Moger. Owner of the hair studio Blown Away on White Street across from Fausto’s.

I was unaware till I received the pic from Fred that he has been having his hair cut for 3 years by Lori. I’ve got him beat. She has been doing my hair for 25 years.

Obviously, Fred and I both have good taste. Not only does Lori perform her professional task well, she is one of the most charming persons on the island. Look at the smile on her face! Makes my day. I look forward to my bimonthly visits with her.

The FOX News/Dominion Voting Systems case settled yesterday for $787.5 million. Big bucks!

I learned during my legal career that a “good settlement” in many instances was one where neither side was happy with the result. Such seems to be the case here.

FOX is unhappy it had to pay so much money. The $787.5 million is the largest disclosed defamation settlement in U.S. history. Insurance paid some portion for FOX. However FOX had to dig into its own pocket for significant dollars.

On the other side, I am confident Dominion itself is happy with the result. It covered their losses and more. Dominion took a beating from FOX’s actions. It has taken time for the Company to get recompense as well as justice.

So who is the unhappy “client” on the Dominion side? The American public. The moaning by the media and people disgraceful. The American people did not lose business and money because of FOX’s lies. They did not have to finance attorney and expert fees during the course of the lawsuit. They have merely been observers sitting on the side with no financial involvement.

The public’s disappointment in not seeing FOX admit its lies and other wrongdoings as part of the settlement is misplaced. The public had no fork in the fire money wise.

This is how lawsuits end. With dollar settlements or verdicts. Very rarely an apology. I cannot recall one in my experience. Money benefits one side to the detriment of the other. The real disaster would have been if Dominion tried the case to a conclusion and for some incomprehensible reason the jury let FOX off. That would have been wrong and painful to Dominion.

The word coming out of Georgia is that Trump’s supporters slowly but surely are deserting him in the Georgia election investigation. They are ratting on each other.

First radical not understandable decisions rocked the boat. Now money shenanigans by Clarence Thomas.

The heretofore non touchable pure Supreme Court is tainted. Dirty the appropriate term.

Does the smear apply to other Justices? Probably so. I know not who or what. However, if one has gotten away with improper activities for 20 some odd years, it would seem that one or two others have also.  One rotten apple in a barrel infects others.

What to do?

Investigate them all.

Who would do the investigating? That is the question, the problem.

Supreme Court oversight is minable. Some of Thomas’ activities have been referred to a committee of federal judges for review. The issue his failure to disclose. He will disclose even before the committee reaches a conclusion and that probably would be the end of it.

It does not provide “justice” as regards Thomas nor does it include the other 8 Justices.

My solution a simple one. Guaranteed to work. The media should investigate the other Justices as a matter of course. The Washington Post, New York Times, and other major publications have the staff and know how. They should begin such an investigation immediately. Following which let the chips fall where they may. If there is wrongdoing by others, let it be known. Let the pressure be applied. Force their resignations or indictments depending on the severity of that which is discovered.

I have planted the seed. Go for it!

Dinner last monday night with my visiting friends Theos and Dina Markis from Greece. The A & B Lobster House. We stayed long and had a wonderful time!

This day in 1775 a significant one in American history. The American Revolution began. The first shoots were fired at the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The result admirable. Big trees from little acorns grow.

Enjoy your day!

Another mass shooting. A sweet 16 party in Dadeville, Alabama. Four teenagers killed, 28 wounded.

Occurred 10:34 last night.

Further details unavailable at this time.

Robert Reich was Secretary of Labor under President Clinton. He recently penned an article titled “The Modern Republican Party Is Hurtling Towards Fascism.”

He wrote, the GOP is fast becoming the “American fascist party.” He attributes such to having been inspired by Donald Trump. He added, the GOP is “careening at high velocity toward authoritarianism. OK, fascism.”

He further wrote, the Republican party has become ” a win at any cost…..scorched earth tactics” one where the GOP has “legitimatized and encouraged the ends-justify-the means viciousness now pushing the GOP toward becoming America’s fascist party.”

Truth, well written.

A good portion of the dinner conversation saturday night with Theos concerned the spread of fascism in Europe and the Middle East. He says other nations are experiencing the same problems authoritarianism wise as the U.S. His country Greece one for example. India another, I suspect we will be touching base re the subject again tonight when we dine at A & B Lobster House.

A Letter to the Editor in the Sun Sentinel 4/16 re Governor DeSantis: “He was elected governor, not king…..He wields his administrative power like a spoiled toddler with a chainsaw…..He could care less how his ill-conceived retaliatory actions affect the citizens of Florida.”

Syracuse center Jesse Edwards will play basketball at West Virginia next season.

I do not approve of the transfer portal. It’s a money talks situation. It should not be a part of college basketball.

Came across a quote in Wisdom of the Ages: “A man chases a woman till she catches him.”

So true!

Enjoy your day!

I practiced law for 46 years. All courts. Federal, state and local. Before all kinds of judges. By all kinds, I refer to their dispositions. Some were cantankerous, some pleasant, some should have worked in another profession. One thing was constant however. They were all honest.

I have been retired 17 years. Things have changed in that time. Especially with certain Republican judges. They now reflect something bad. A sickness. A touch of dishonesty that did not exist before. Clarence Thomas leads the pack. A Supreme Court Justice no less.

Now comes Matthew Kacsmaryk. The Texas federal judge who declared a certain pill, used among other purposes to initiate an abortion, was illegal. The man a Trump appointee.

Turns out Kacsmaryk is a “dark judge” (I refer not to the color of his skin) in black robes.

In 2017, he submitted an article to a Texas law review criticizing Obama-era protections for transgender people and those seeking abortions. A few months later, he asked an editor of the law journal to remove his name as author and submit the name of two colleagues at his legal group First Liberty Institute. The email making the request said it was made for “reasons I may discuss at a later date.”

It was done.

The “reason” was Kacsmaryk was under serious consideration for a federal judgeship and it was obvious his comments in the law review would kill his chances.

We now understand why he wanted his name removed. He would never have been approved for the judgeship because of his anti transgender and anti pill positions.

Kacsmaryk should be impeached. He obtained his judgeship under false pretenses. His actions fraudulent. No person so deceitful should be permitted to sit in judgment on others.

MAGA persons come out with the craziest positions. Not just bordering on the weird. Weird!

One of the most recent is a social media chip by alt-right Trump supporter Ethan Schmidt-Crockett. He said women, particularly single ones, should not own dogs: “It is a major red flag…..super weird…..Super cringe…..Should be outlawed in the U.S.”

I leave the rest to your imagination.

A sicko!

Air Force reservist Teixeira has been arrested and charged with espionage. The full force of the law should fall upon him. Listen not to the idle talk he is only 21, a good kid, etc. He is a traitor. Loud and clear! Do not be misled.

The Phantom of the Opera closes today after 35 years and 13,981 performances.

One of America’s great musicals. It will return in 10 years. Great performances never disappear forever.

I was fortunate to have seen the show on Broadway 4 times.

A terrific dinner last night. Food and company the best! I dined with my good friends from Greece Theos and Dina Markis at La Te Da. 

It was a long night. We sat and talked and talked and talked.

We are getting together again tomorrow night. They leave Wednesday.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville chosen for entry into the Library of Congress.

An honor.

Buffett completed Margaritaville 66 miles south of Miami on U.S. 1. He began writing it on a napkin in a Mexican restaurant in Austin, Texas while driving to an airport to return to Key West. On the drive down from Miami, there was a fender bender on the Seven Mile Bridge. He found himself sitting on the sidewalk, starring out at Pigeon Key, when he finished Margaritaville.

Buffett played Margaritaville for the first time that evening at Crazy Ophelia’s on Duval Street. Everyone loved it so he sang it a second time.

On this day in 1829, a Temperance Society was proposed for Key West.

There was a temperance movement nationally in those days. I could not find one ever being established in Key West, however.

Jack Teixeira is the 21 year old Massachusetts Air National Guardsman who leaked hundreds of pages of classified military intelligence.

Two observations.

The first is he has only been charged with two crimes. One carries a 10 year sentence, the other 5 years. If sentenced consecutively, he will only face 15 years. Not enough time.

The man has revealed secret military information. Among the highest of military information. His crimes worthy of a minimum of 20 years, with no time off for good behavior. The Rosenberg’s were executed for providing atomic secrets. Teixeira lucky his wrongdoings short of what the Rosenbergs did.

I am generally soft in my feelings. However blowing military data is a big deal. It jeopardizes the lives of many others. In the hundreds and thousands. He must pay. And others must see the payment is severe. Otherwise, many will start doing what he did. The first gun killings were minimal. Look how they have increased over the years.

My second observation involves Marjorie Taylor Greene. A winner!

Crazy Greene has spoken out: “Jack Teixeira is a white, male Christian, and anti war. That makes him an enemy to the Biden regime.”

Teixeira did not do it because he was anti war. He did it to show off to his 20-30 friends in a chat room.

Clarence Thomas’ list of sins grows!

Harlan Crow purchased 3 houses from Thomas. Total price in excess of $100,000. One of the houses was Thomas’ mother’s home.

There is a federal law requiring Supreme Court Justices to disclose any real estate sales in excess of $1,000. Thomas did not disclose the sales per the law.

All his “wrongdoings” lead me to believe I was correct 30 years ago when Thomas denied Anita Hill’s claims at the Judiciary Committee Confirmation Hearing. I thought Thomas lied at the time.

Thomas is in a position where he should resign. Would be a class act. If the man has any class. I doubt he does.

Will the Supreme Court act on its own? I doubt it also. Who knows whether any other Justices have skeletons in their closets?

Senator Timothy Eugene Scott is a Republican from South Carolina. H announced this week he is exploring a run for the Republican nomination for President in the 2024 election.

He is anti-abortion. Openly pronounces himself pro life. He supports the NRA. He is black. Even if Trump and DeSantis are not in the race in due course, no way the far right Republicans will support a black man. If I am wrong and he gets the nomination, no way is this country going to support an anti-abortionist and NRA supporter for President.

A Barack Obama he is not!

Like a thief in the night…..DeSantis signed a new Florida abortion bill in the dark. At 11 pm thursday night.

He lacked the balls to openly sign the 6 week abortion law in the light of day with witnesses all around.

My friends Theo and Dina Markis are in from Greece. They visit Key West 2-3 times a year. We are having dinner tonight at La Te Da. 

I look forward to seeing them again.

Enjoy your day!

God bless Lynda Frechette!

Jimmy Olson complimented Lynda in a lengthy column in this week’s Key West Weekly: 2023 Aqua Idol Raises More Than $50K For Waterfront Playhouse.

Lynda has been organizing and running Aqua Idol for years. No easy task.

I knew she was successful. I did not know to what extent, however. This year $54,380.

Key West is fortunate Lynda and Bob opted to settle here many years ago.

You are the best!

House Republicans have failed thus far. Though in control of the House, they have accomplished nothing. In Shakespeare’s words, they are “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”

Washington columnist Dana Milbank wrote a combined humorous and sad column today titled: Finally, Republicans Tackle The No. 1 Issue in Washington.

The item she zeroed in on and some others mentioned. Note each is what Republican House members have been arguing.

The biggest is decriminalization of public urination in Washington, D.C. The City has created a Criminal Code Revision Committee. The Committee wants to reduce public urination from a crime to a civil violation. House Republicans are opposed.

Much time has been spent by House Republicans on what is now being referred to as the Great Public Piss Debate of 2023.

At the same time, House Republicans have decided the near daily mass shootings in the U.S. are not to be handled by them. Their position “we’re not gonna fix it.” Peeing on the streets apparently is more important than children being killed in schools.

House Republicans also held 3 hearings on Hunter Biden’s laptop. Additionally important to them, a “crisis” hearing re the “threat” of an invasion by Canada.

Important matters the House Republicans have failed to effectively address include legislation on the border and drafting a budget.

Query: Are Congressional Republicans f–ked up? Only way to describe how they’re running the House.

Biden is in Ireland for four days. Home of his ancestry. All news reports are he is happy to be there and is enjoying his ancestorial visit.

Good for him!

Pete Rose is 82 years old today. 

It is time to reverse his ejection from all things involving professional baseball. He has paid his dues. Time for him to be accepted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

One of the saddest days in American history. On this day in 1865, Abraham Lincoln was shot and mortally wounded.

Another sad event occurred on this day. The year 1912.

The British liner Titanic struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic. Within 2 hours 40 minutes the ship sunk. Loss of lives 1,514.

The Blue Angels. Their air spectacular saturday and sunday. They began practicing yesterday (thursday). Flew over the golf course several times. I was on my porch. They came over low. So close, I thought I could reach up and touch them. I was speaking with my neighbor Connie at the time. Impossible to hear each other when they swept over. 

I understand they flew sky high over Duval. Not on Stock Island. Almost rooftop high. Exciting!

An increasing comment by locals appeared in the Citizens’ Voice this morning. Intimating a feeling expressed by many long term locals: “We bought our house in Old Town 24 years ago. Recently we seem to like the vibe in town less and less. We just shopped for homes in Old San Juan and it feels so better just walking around town. Might be time for a change.”

Enjoy your day!