How fortunate Steve Thompson is around to recall the Key West of earlier times. He shared a bit of Mel Fisher’s early days on the island.

Mel and Deo were always smiling. They were Chart Room regulars since arriving.

Mel was a real go-getter. Always working. He spent his whole life treasure searching. His office, a Spanish galleon, moored right off Front Street. If he could keep it afloat, it was really neat.

If you were a diver in the 70’s, likely you worked for Mel’s crew. If you weren’t, he would show you just what to do.

He was tall, had a low voice, and everyone loved him. He liked to talk, a natural born salesman.

It was another 10 years till they found the Atocha. I think everyone who knew him, could hear him say, “I told ya.”

Affordable housing an ongoing problem. Not just in Key West. All over the country. Greed the primary cause. Story for another day.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has come up with what she believes is a solution. I do not agree with her. Government/taxes cannot support everything.

Her solution wants to provide $10 million in an effort to lower rents. She would subsidize landlords. If a rent was $3,000 per month, the City would pay a $2,000 a year subsidy to the landlord. Breaks down to $167 per month.

The proposal should be killed now, in its initial steps. It short due course, it will not really be a help to tenants. It would serve as a rip off benefitting landlords.

Key West has been home to many successful businesses over the years. They came, grew, succeeded and then for business reasons moved elsewhere. Cigar manufacturing an example. In 1906, there were 40 cigar factories staffed by 2,000 plus employees.

It’s Syracuse/Connecticut saturday. Kick off 4 pm at Connecticut.

Syracuse a 22.5 point favorite. Wow!

Putin does not care. He’ll inflict danger, pain and suffering everywhere and anywhere to achieve his goals.

He has renewed Russian bombing near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. The plant’s neighboring community is Enerhordor. It serves the nuclear plant. Already the communty is suffering from new fires and has lost its entire electrical supply.

Enjoy your day!

Key West belongs to the ladies this week. Womenfest 2022 officially begins today and runs through September 11.

Several thousand women will meet, great and party. The event is one the largest gatherings of lesbians and their friends in the United States.

The fun begins!

My ankle swelling continues. Seven weeks now. Where is the relief? When?

Saw the doctor late yesterday afternoon. I am pilled out. Water pills at capacity level. Potassium, also. Compression socks next. I’m going to look beautiful!

Stopped at Sally O’Brien’s for an early dinner. Women’s Wimbledon on TV. Chatted with bartender. She bartended in Dubai when major tennis tournaments were scheduled. She said, “Dubai went crazy!”

Two items of significant importance on the agenda this morning. Judge Aileen Cannon’s off the wall decision in the Mar-a-Lago case and Putin’s cruelty.

Bess Levin describes the whacked Judge’s decision in her 9/6/22 article in Vanity Fair: Trump’s Special Master Situation Is Shady As Fuck, say Legal Experts.

Levin claims Cannon “threw the ex-President an outrageous, legally-suspect bone.” She granted Trump’s request for a Special Master and blocked prosecutors from using the 11 thousand documents in their criminal investigation until a Special Master review was complete. Her order specifies “personal items and documents and potentially privileged material subject to claims of attorney-client and/or executive privilege.”

Levin pulls no punches. Claims the Judge’s decision is considered the worst of the worst by the best legal minds in the Nation: “If you’re wondering if Cannon’s decision was one…..the legal community would agree was well-founded, legitimate, and completely unimpeachable, the answer is no, no, and hell no…..the ruling is laughably bad, and the written justification is even flimsier.”

As stated, leading legal scholars and attorneys are in accord. The Judge’s decision the worst of the worst. Comments included “Trump is being privileged / ultimately lawless / Cannon has disgraced her position as an Article III judge / first year law students would have written a better opinion / Cannon giving special considerations to the former President that former ordinary, everyday citizens do not receive.”

The most galling observation was that “the argument by Cannon that Trump would suffer grave reputational harm” if  a Special Master was not allowed to intervene. Levin nailed that one to the wall: “A claim that most legal experts agreed was utter bullshit.”

Vladimir Putin is plain evil. He is my way or the highway. Revenge and retaliation the order of the day if he is thwarted.

He brought the Ukraine on himself. He now blames everyone else.

Two tools Putin is using to reek revenge and retaliation are the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and gas sales to European nations. Suffer and die from nuclear radiation and freeze to death in the winter.

The guy’s a real winner!

The nuclear plant. A UN watchdog agency completed its 5 day investigation of feared leakages from the plant. The agency released its report yesterday. The report calls for a safety zone around the power plant. A “nuclear safety and security protection zone” around what is Europe’s largest nuclear plant.

Ukraine and Russia have blamed each other for shelling dangerously close to the plant, prompting warning’s of a potential radiation disaster.

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency: “We are playing with fire and something very, very catastrophic could take place.” He said shelling must stop around Zaporizhzhia and stop immediately.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres demanded that Ukraine and Russia establish a “demilitarized perimeter” around the plant.

Understand clearly any leak could in short course cover all of Europe. Chernobyl repeated on a much larger scale.

Russia is a major supplier of gas to European nations. Various sanctions are torturing Russia economically. Sanctions imposed because of Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine.

Putin is financially strapped. He has issued an ultimatum. Lift the sanctions or I will cut off gas deliveries to European nations.

Another example of the hard ball Putin plays. He caused the problem for himself by invading Ukraine. He can’t continue paying for his sin, however. He is a rat cornered. Expect anything and everything from him.

Winter is around the corner. If countries are without Russia’s gas, many will freeze, become ill, babies and elderly die.

Zaporizhzhia and Russian gas are Hitler’s gas chambers for Putin.

Enjoy your day!

What I am about to share may initially be received with no way! Louis is out of his mind! Could be. Though I doubt it. My thoughts are merely another step in  a progression that began with the repeal of Roe v. Wade

Republicans finally succeeded in destroying Roe. v. Wade. Within days, The American people realized there were other adverse impacts involved. States like Texas immediately legislated many. All making the life of women more difficult. Court decisions completely unreasonable came down where abortions were cried for and no local immediate relief was available. The 10 year old girl requiring an abortion comes to mind.

Treatises and other writings  tell us contraception is on the chopping block. Even talking to a doctor in some states about where to go for abortion relief.

So nothing is really insane when examining the fall out.

Fascism is on the rise in the U.S. The democratic process of voting in 2022 and 2024 may eliminate the danger. If not and even if democracy wins, blood on the ground may still be inevitable.

What is this “danger” that in most areas does not even rise to a whisper? Forced childbirth. There is a Republican undercurrent that believes increased childbirth among Republican white women is required to maintain and continue the victories achievable with the defeat of Roe. Legislating in various forms would make it possible.

Mussolini was a fascist. He is the historic hero of forced childbirth. The idea is force women to give birth under the cloak of pro-family citizenship.

At this point many may be thinking Mussolini/Italy are no way similar to persons in the U.S. today. A state legislator already tried to play the game. Delaware State Republican Representative Richard Collins in 2019 introduced legislation which would force women to give birth against their will. The bill went nowhere. Collins still a member of the Delaware House of Representatives.

Back to Mussolini’s motherhood factories. Referred to also as “industrial motherhood.” On 4/1/22 Matthew Wills wrote an article on the subject in JSTOR Daily: “In fascist Italy, childbirth, breastfeeding and motherhood were given a hybrid structure of industrial management and eugenicist biological essentialism.”

Mussolini began his battle for increased births in 1927 and promoted the same through 1943. His purpose to increase his military force. He realized his military was inadequate to achieve his goal of an Italian Empire to rival the Roman one. To achieve the goal, he had to increase Italy’s population from 40 million to 60 million.

There is a similarity here between Mussolini and Trump. Both liars. At the time, Italy’s population was 47.5 million. Mussolini was giving himself an edge to guarantee later success.

First step was to ban abortion. Then to provide incentives encouraging large families. Loans to married couples. Part of principal cancelled with the birth of each new child. Any married man with 6 or more children was exempt from taxation.

Mussolini was a cult figure as Donald Trump is. The Italian people began to believe they had a duty to produce as many children as possible.

Those persons less productive than the numbers set forth were penalized. Examples included bachelors being increasingly taxed, civil service recruiting only men fertile and married.

Women were also encouraged. Five children and a woman received a medal. Another medal for each subsequent child. Hopefully the medals would make the woman feel proud. As would walking around with an extended pot belly.

Mussolini constantly preached to the Italian women: “It’s up to you to create a generation of soldiers and pioneers for the defense of the Empire.”

The forced childbirth program was not a success. Failed big time.

Mussolini was executed in 1945. A study was done in 1950 to determine the success of the program. Whereas the population actually was  47.5 million when started, it was 47.5 million years later in 1950. Marriage rates had remained the same.

In the early 1940’s, Mussolini recognized the program’s failure. He felt the lack of enthusiasm had cost him 15 army divisions.

Would a child factory program succeed in the U.S.? I don’t know. If post Roe legislation similar to those recently passed and off the wall court decisions are rendered, we are in trouble. Again voting becomes important in the next two national elections.

Let me admonish the courts will be no help. There was a time, courts were the last bastion of freedom. No more. Roe is proof the Supreme Court is lost. The U.S. Magistrate and District Court Judges in the Mar-a-Lago search warrant case are proof many Trump appointees are either loyal cultists he nominated or incompetent or both. The recent decisions in the Mar-a-Lago search case proof a poison has stigmatized the entire federal court system.

I repeat again, VOTE!

Yesterday was the day! After 3 years of preparation, Key West’s Guy De Boer began his epic journey.

Guy is one of 16 participants in the Golden Globe Race. The event began yesterday from Les Sables d’Olonnois, France. It is anticipated the trip will take 7 months to complete.

An onerous trip. A solitary one. It is Guy and his boat. That’s it. Considered one of the most difficult in the world. A challenge. Participants have no regular access to modern communication or navigation. Pure isolation.

The trip will take Guy over some of the the most dangerous waters in the world, through some of the fiercest capes.

I admire Guy’s courage. I also think he’s crazy. However the experience is one he wanted to attempt and one he believes he can win. So good luck, my friend. God be with you.

I stopped at Geiger Key for lunch yesterday. Wanted to see if anything was different under the new ownership.

Nothing. The crowd a usual holiday one. Packed. Actually, there was one difference. A new manager or what I assumed was a new manager. He was all over the place assisting. A smile for everyone. A kind word here and there.

I enjoyed hogfish fingers and chatted with two lovely matronly woman sitting to my side at the bar.

Sheila Cullen and Vicky Shields had an interesting post this morning on Facebook: “Our granddaughters should not have to fight the battles their grandmothers already won.”

Truer words never written.

Sunsets worldwide are God’s in His Heaven, all’s right with the world. Key West’s sunsets are best reflected from Mallory Square. Steve Thompson recalls Mallory Square Sunsets in the 1970’s.

Sunset on Mallory Square was the thing to do. It was laid back and not much a zoo. When the sun went down, there was a slow applaud. Like worshiping some kind of God. Everyone was smiling, everyone was cool. You felt euphoric like some happy fool.

It got a little busier everyday. Now it’s a three ring circus and you pay.

Artemis I did not get of the ground for a second time. A hydrogen fuel problem. New date not certain. Could be into October.

I recall clearly the U.S.’s first attempts into space in the 1960’s. Each trip successfully made it off each time. There may have been a day or two delay on occasion. However our space ships were off and flying basically as scheduled. Soon with humans. Eventually to the moon. The first serious problem years latter when one of the ships carrying 6 or 7 persons exploded on take off.

With all the money, companies and people involved today, why the problems? Inadvertent? Accidental? The way it is?  A harsh criticism on my part. However the reputation of the U.S. is on the line with every flight. We should do better. We did do better when we were novices.

Enjoy the end of the holiday weekend!

My Gift to you. For the warmth with which you have welcomed my return.

Syracuse trounced Louisville last night 31-7. Oh, what a night it was! Syracuse has had very poor seasons in recent years. If last night is any indication, watch out world! Syracuse’s might of yesteryear has returned!

It was the opening game for both teams. Louisville was a 4.5 point favorite.

Syracuse has a quarterback and runner. No question. Garrett Schrader lead the team beautifully. He mixed the plays. Passes and runs. Went 18 for 25 pass wise. Ran when he had to.

Sean Tucker also distinguished himself. As he did last year. A dynamic runner. Already last night rumors began of his being a Heisman candidate.

Syracuse exhibited one weakness. Penalties. The offensive team had 18 penalties totaling 107 yards. Did not affect the team last night. Will in future games.

Why so many penalties? Syracuse has a new offensive coordinator. The team is still learning his plays. It was obvious. There was one instance when a backfield player was to run forward and turn right in front of Schrader. He turned left. The whole line collapsed.

Schrader took it well. Smiled and pointed to the right when the play was over.

The team was too good last night for it to have been an isolated victory. Lets hope the year turns into what a season it was! It has been a long time.

I was surprised Syracuse did not can Coach Dino Barbers following last season. The school gave him another year. I’m glad he was retained.

Go ‘Cuse!

Bobby Mongelli is one of the the nicest guys in the Keys. A hard worker. Until Thursday, owned 3 restaurants. Hogfish, Geiger Key and Roostica. Sold Geiger Key for apparently a big buck. He deserved it!

Geiger Key is 10.5 miles up U.S. 1. Bobby bought the restaurant when it was in foreclosure back in the 1970’s. A run down shack. Serving only beer at the time. He kept the shack flavor and turned it into a restaurant.

It has become one of my favorite haunts over the years.

The purchaser is Parakeet Communities out of Rockville, Maryland. Parakeet has advised it will run Geiger Key as Mongelli did.

Bobby had been asking $17.5 million. Actual sale price still secret. Understanding Key west values, I would not be surprised if he got close to that number.

A happy type blog today. The Three Tenors, Syracuse’s win, and Bobby’s sale of Geiger Key. Though infrequent, glad to be able to do one occasionally.

Enjoy your Sunday!

The more Trump pushes the Mar-a-Lago document search in Court, the worse his position gets. The hole he is digging gets deeper and deeper. Would not surprise me if he ends up in China.

The most recent revelation is that 48 folders marked “classified” are empty. An additional 42 marked return to staffers or a military aide likewise empty.

A total of 90 folders. Pray tell, where are the documents that were supposed to be in the folders?

When this mess began unraveling, I worried Trump might have sold or used for a benefit the materials. When has he perhaps not done something shady in his lifetime? Today, many are beginning to think that way. Persons in the media and the public themselves. The thinking being Trump sold or used the contents to gain favor with a foreign nation.

A President of the United States a treasonous traitor? Hopefully not. Time will tell.

Many speak with a forked tongue. Even a lawyer on occasion.

William Barr was the best. He could mangle truth like no other lawyer in my memory.

Now his ass is on the line. He appeared on FOX. He crucified Trump. It was obvious his goal was to save his own butt.

Barr said there was no legitimate reason for Trump to take classified documents to Mar-a-Lago. He was skeptical they had been “declassified.”

He rejected criticism that the search was wrong because it was an “unprecedented” search of a former President’s home. He followed the statement with it was unprecedented for a President to “take all this classified information and put them in a country club.”

Barr described Trump as having “jerked around” the government, leaving the government no alternative but to obtain and exercise a search warrant.

Additionally, from Barr’s perspective the Special Master request by Trump was a “red herring” and “waste of time.”

Artemis I will make its second attempt today. Flight is scheduled between 2:17 and 4:17 this afternoon.

Weather a prime concern. However at the moment it is expected all will be well and the flight will take off.

Weather includes lightning. Any lightning within 10 miles of Artemis will result in a further cancellation of the flight.

Four hundred thousand are expected to be in the area to watch ignition and take off.

Most have pools in Florida. Pools generally usable 12 months a year. Memorial Day Weekend reminds me of pools back in Utica, N.Y. from where I originate. Few had pools. They were only usable 2 months a year. Not worth it.

I didn’t care. I had a pool.

Always had my pool opened Memorial Day Weekend. Weather prohibited its use till July. However hope sprang eternal and as a family we always were hopefully excited that this year it could be used earlier.

Never was. The weather rarely made it possible till July 4th.

Note Utica is in the central part of New York. In the foothills to the Adirondack Mountains. Fall always came early. The leaves began changing August 15. Never failed. They began falling soon after. Clogged pools.

My home was like in the middle of a private forest. Without fail, the pool had to be closed the day after Labor Day every year.

We still enjoyed the experience, no matter how limited.

Syracuse/Louisville at 8 tonight. First game of the season for both teams. This morning the sports page has Louisville listed as a 4.5 point favorite.

Steve Thompson and an early Groovy story. This is back in the 70’s. I have no idea who Groovy was.

Groovy was sitting at Howie’s Bar. Jimmy was setting up tuning his guitar. Groovy hollered, “You don’t have to do that to play, nobody is going to listen to you anyway.”

They ended up best friends and sailed the Caribbean.

When Jimmy and Jane got married, he was best man.

Groovy flew to Europe and sailed a Swan back. I never knew anyone who did anything like that. He lived in St. Barts and owned Mango Air. He flew folks to St. Maarten to play golf there.

He stayed at our house in the 70’s when he was in town. Never a dull moment when he was around.

Bob Mayo, Phil Clark, and Groovy started Come Monday Construction. I guess Groovy needed a tax deduction. Bob did construction when he was living with me. Phil was a pirate looking at 50. I’m not sure if they ever built anything, but I sure enjoyed celebrating with them.

Enjoy your day!

I wrote of Mikhail Gorbachev’s death 2 days ago. My comments included Gorbachev was highly respected everywhere, except in Russia: “Gorbachev achieved hero status worldwide, except for Russia where he was despised and continued to be so till his death yesterday.”

Several responded questioning the correctness of the statement.

It was announced yesterday that Putin had denied Gorbachev a state funeral and further stated he would be staying away from any services.

Putin continues to add to his credentials as being an extremely despicable person. In this instance, I refer to a Russian based Putin critic. Ravil Maganov. Sixty seven, he died this week. He fell from a sixth floor hospital window in Moscow.

His death provides Putin with one less critic.

The Russian government says “suicide.” People who knew Maganov say “no way.”

Maganov was the Chief Executive of the private Russian oil giant Lukoil. He was an openly harsh critic of the Ukrainian war.

Trump continues his autocratic undemocratic anti-American statements. Yes, all of those adjectives. His more recent is that he would issue full pardons and a government apology to rioters who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Contingent on his running and winning the 2024 Presidential election.

President Biden delivered a forceful speech in Philadelphia last night. His words clearly indicating the political battle was one for the soul of the Nation.  His words were consistent with recent comments he has made. The gloves are off. A bare knuckle fight.

He spoke of the “extremism that threatens the very foundation of our Republic…..As I stand here tonight, equality and democracy are under assault. We do ourselves no favor to pretend otherwise…..MAGA Republicans are destroying American democracy.”

September 2 and no hurricane yet. Highly unusual. I bite my tongue as I make the statement. I fear calling the bad gods down upon us.

There is what could be the first hurricane forming out in the Atlantic. Danielle is presently a tropical storm. Scientists say it will become the season’s first hurricane. However, it will turn northeast even before coming close to land. Danielle will be no threat.

September 2 is significant in the history of hurricanes. One of the worst struck the Keys in 1935. The Hurricane of 1935. Hurricanes had no names back then.

The hurricane passed over Long Key and Lower Matecumbe Key. It was a Category 5. A big one! Two hundred miles per hour. Tides 18-20 feet high. Nearly 400 killed.

College football returns! First games yesterday.

Syracuse opens against Louisville at 8 pm saturday at Louisville. Supposed to be a close game.

A very few years ago, Syracuse’s star quarterback was Tony DeVito. He did not do well. From starter to benchwarmer.

He transferred to Illinois. DeVito now Illinois’ star quarterback. First game was thursday. Illinois beat Wyoming 38-6. DeVito made 27 of 37 passes attempted for 192 yards.

I wish DeVito well. For no other reason than he is finally proving he has the talent and ability to be successful. May he continue to have more Wyoming games.

Enjoy your day!

Where would man be without the “right” to discriminate against certain of his fellow man? Discrimination covers many areas. One of the most popular is religion.

Anti-Semitism is on the rise not only in the U.S., but also world wide. Anti-Catholicism likewise. However creeping when compared to the speed with which anti-Semitism is moving.

A most recent example of anti-Catholicism involves a public elementary school in Cos Cob, Connecticut.

Jeremy Bolandis an assistant Principal at the Cos Cob school. One of his responsibilities was the hiring of new teachers. He recently openly admitted to discriminating against Catholics in a video. He hung himself with the video.

Cos Cob is a small part of the the affluent Greenwich area.

Boland belongs to a group known as Project Veritas. Anti-Catholic. Boland openly took the position he would rather have progressive teachers under age 30 as faculty members. He believes they are “more savvy” about delivering a Democratic message. He also acknowledged discriminating against older teachers. His justification being older persons are too conservative.

Boland’s prejudices went viral with the video. His job acquired an uncertainty. He has been placed on administrative leave.

I enjoyed a late breakfast/early lunch with old friend Cheryl Keast yesterday at Harpoon Harry’s. Cheryl decided on Harpoon Harry’s for the meeting.

Cheryl and Roger were snowbirds. Met them 20 years ago. The second time I ran into them was breakfast at Square One. They were enjoying eggs and steak. I was in the process of losing weight. Turned out to be 60 pounds. Walked Key West every morning, ate nothing. I told them I hated them both for what they were devouring and the pleasure they obviously were enjoying from it. Every time we met after that, we jokingly exchanged the experience.

Roger died 3 months ago. Cheryl decided to visit every place they traveled over the years. Community by community. Beach, restaurant, etc. And leave Roger’s ashes at each place. She carries a small plastic bag in her purse with his ashes.

She is in Key West for 4 days to accomplish the Key West portion of her goal. She has already left Roger’s ashes at Dante’s, the Bull, Tree Bar, Chart Room, Boondocks, Geiger’s Key, Hogfish, Brad’s Campground, Hurricane Hole, the Green Parrott, Don’s Place, the Hot Tin Roof, and the Mile Marker O sign.

And she was not yet finished when we met yesterday! Such commitment! A serious endeavor on her part.

Where the ocean is part of a facility, Roger’s ashes became part of the ebbing tide. Where water not available, Cheryl has a system where and how Roger’s ashes may be permanently left.

We were sitting at the table for 4 in the rear of Harpoon Harry’s. Cheryl took out a bottle of nail polish and Roger’s ashes. A touch of the nail polish on her finger. Followed by a few ashes on the nail polish. She then took her finger and rubbed it under the table. Voila! Roger’s permanent home at Harpoon Harry’s!

When Steve Thompson first arrived in Key West in the 1970’s, he had to make a living. Decided to open a taco stand on Duval. No one knew what a taco was. Whatever, it became a success. Steve opened several more throughout south Florida. Made a chunk of money.

His first store on Duval opened in March ’74.

I got the store open in March of ’74. Seems like no one had heard of a taco before. My first customer asked, What is a taa-kos? He caught me off guard, I was at a loss.

It was Duval Street and I thought he was wasted. Then he said, “That was the best damn thing I ever tasted.”

The Le Mistral French restaurant was right next door. For the best gourmet food, you couldn’t ask for more. Rene would prepare dinner for his crew every day. I couldn’t believe it when he came over to say, “They all want burritos and tacos for dinner.” That’s when I knew I had a winner!

Today a bad day in history for the world. On this day in 1939, World War II began. Nazi Germany invaded Poland,

Enjoy your day!

Jesus was rejected in his hometown Nazareth. Which lead Him to say: “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.” Luke 4:24.

Mikhail Gorbachev died yesterday at 91. The last leader of the Soviet Union.

It was 1991. The two great powers were the Soviet Union and the United States. The Soviet Union the recognized bad guy world wide. Possessor of nuclear and other weapons of destruction in large supply. The world had constantly been on the threshold of nuclear conflict since the end of World War II.

Gorbachev’s vision of the world was different from that of his predecessors. He had a concern for what would occur in the event of a nuclear conflict. His aim was to lessen the confrontation…..for every nation’s good.

The Soviet Union consisted of 15 separate nations. Except for Russia itself, all were quietly supportive of Gorbachev’s peaceful approach.

Gorbachev unleashed a breathtaking series of changes which led to the collapse of Communism, break up of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War.

The Soviet Union’s collapse was swift. Humiliating, also. A coup against Gorbachev occurred in August 1991. It failed. Simultaneously, the 15 nation Soviet bloc began to break up. Republic after republic withdrew. Four months following the coup attempt, Gorbachev resigned on December 25, 1991. The next day, the Soviet Union ceased to exist.

The Soviet nuclear and military arsenal ended up primarily in the hands of the republic of Russia.

Gorbachev’s primary motivation in how he handled things was to save the Soviet nation members, Europe, and the world from nuclear devastation. He succeeded.

Gorbachev received the Nobel Peace Prize for his successful effort.

Again, Gorbachev achieved hero status worldwide, except for Russia where he was despised and continued to be so till his death yesterday.

It took a long time of persons for color to achieve success in the U.S. modeling field. Nigeria had a similar problem.

Nigeria is an African nation with a primary black population. Whites however have been successful as models. Every white model took the place of what could have been a black one. A growing unhappiness by black models grew.

The situation recently reached its apex. Reverse discrimination. Nigeria banned white models from appearing in commercials in the name of “developing local talent” and supporting “inclusive growth.”

Artemis I’s launch has been rescheduled to saturday. Hopefully it will be able to be successfully launched at that time.

The Chart Room group of which I was a part had a good 20 year run. One of its members was Peter, aka English Peter, British Peter, Captain Peter. Peter was British born and raised. Came to the U.S. as a young man. Joined the U.S. Army and fought in Korea. Became a U.S. citizen.

Peter looked British. White hair, white mustache. Clearly spoken, his British accent obvious.

Steve Thompson wrote of Perter.

English Peter was a good friend to everyone. He sold sailboat rides and any waterfront fun.

His home was a classic Herreshoff and he lived there for years. We used to worry about him after too many beers so he sold the boat and moved into his van. Hung out at Fort Zach and just sat on his can.

He now lives in Melbourne. We saw him last week. He bought a nice little house and keeps it neat. He said tell everybody at the Chart Room to come. I have a guest room and they’re all welcome.

I normally get a pedicure every 2-3 weeks. Due to the right foot swelling, it has been well over 2 months since my last pedicure. I decided the swelling was down sufficiently so I could get one yesterday. My ankle was down to a size equivalent to 3/4s of a softball. Great progress! At the beginning, it was larger than 2 softballs.

So it was a pedicure and manicure with Tammy.

A foot and lower leg massage included in the process. When the pedicure was complete, I notice the croc slipped on easily. The massage had reduced the swelling about 1/4 of an inch. The quarter inch still gone this morning.

A big deal!

Treated myself to lunch at Harpoon Harry’s afterwards. Enjoyed the lasagna special. First time. Absolutely fantastic! I know good from bad. My Italian nature. So good I recommend it. The special every tuesday.

A special breakfast later this morning. At 11. With Cheryl Keast.

A 20 year friend. Cheryl and her husband Roger originally from Kankakee, Illinois. Roger an electrical contractor. Roger died several months ago.

They were snowbirds. Traveled the world in between Key West visits.

Due to Covid, I have not seen them for 3-4 years.

Cheryl is on a trip visiting places that she and Roger did. She carries with her his ashes.

She is only in Key West for 4 days. She has been stopping at all their haunts and leaving Roger’s ashes. Some in the ocean, some on land where water not available. She has already made the distribution in at least a dozen places.

We are breakfasting at Harpoon Harry’s. Her choice. One of Roger’s favorite places.

Enjoy your day!

Football and golf are daily news events. Both part of the American scene. College football begins this week. Professional football ready to go. Professional golf completed its 2021-2022 season sunday. The controversy involving the new Saudi league continues to be a daily news item.

There was a time when football and golf experienced what might be described as special newsworthy periods of time.

For football, it was 1905. Injuries a concern. As brain injuries are today.

College football the problem. The game had become so brutal that more than 100 student players  had died. College Presidents were disbanding teams. Several state legislatures were giving serious considerations to making football illegal.

In October 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt convened an urgent summit meeting at the White House. Roosevelt was a football fan. Nevertheless he had a harsh message for the men who ruled the game. If they didn’t change the rules to make football safer, he might have no choice but to ban it.

His call for reform resulted in the formation of a new rules committee. One committee member suggested an idea long advocated by legendary coach John Heisman: Legalize the forward pass. He thought such would open up the game, reducing mass collisions in the middle of the field.

The idea was not met with favor. The New York Times called the idea “radical.” However the concept was voted upon favorably to be tested in the 1906 season. Other rule changes outlawed holding, unnecessary roughness, and required a team to gain 10 yards instead of 5 for a first down.

The new rules, especially the pass, made the game safer and interestingly more popular.

Though permitting the forward pass, the new rules heavily restricted its use. The ball could not be passed within 5 yards of center, it could not be passed to a receiver in the end zone, and an incomplete pass automatically resulted in the other team gaining possession of the ball.

Way back in the 1300’s and 1400’s, golf and soccer were popular sports. British and Scottish kings were opposed. The sports were banned. English King Edward II banned soccer in 1314: “We command and forbid…..on pain of imprisonment, such game to be used. In 1491 Scottish King James IV issued this decree: “It is statute and ordained that in no place of the Realme there be use Fute-ball, Golf, or uther unprofitable sports.”

Why were golf , soccer and “uther” sports so unpopular with the Kings? It had to do with defense.

The Kings considered them “unprofitable” because they were distracting men from archery practice, which was essential to the defense of their countries. Without a populace of trained archers, the Kings could not raise effective armies in times of crisis.

The laws were as effective as modern day prohibition ones. The passion of men for the sports was so great the laws were ignored. Golf and soccer continued to thrive.

Enjoy your day!