The die is cast. The Rubicon crossed.

Small as it was, Putin stepped over the line. He was testing Biden’s resolve. Biden reacted. A reaction I suspect Putin did not expect.

Biden has called the forces of good to stand against evil. Blatant evil.

Biden followed through with threatened sanctions. Not all, however. He held some back. I disagree with him on this point. The U.S. should have buried Putin with everything in its first blast.

Not a condemnation of Biden. Rather a disagreement as to procedure.

The sanctions unloaded by Biden impressive nevertheless. Heavy sanctions against 2 Russian banks and a number of Russian oligarchs. With an admonition more would follow depending on what if anything Putin did next.

Biden also advised additional U.S. troops would be stationed in Baltic states on NATO’s eastern flank boarding Russia.

It was assumed other NATO members would hit Russia with sanctions.

Some have.

Germany stood up first. Even before Biden acted. Germany advised it would withhold certification of the NORDSteam 2 gas/oil line. A big hurt to Russia.

Since Biden acted, Great Britain’s Boris Johnson advised that his nation would be sanctioning 5 Russian banks. Freezing Russian assets. Also to be sanctioned were 3 Russian billionaires. Oligarchs. Travel bans were also placed upon them.

Australia and Japan have announced the imposition of sanctions. An impressive we support you move. Neither is a member of NATO.

Trump got involved. In support of Putin and adverse to Biden’s moves. Trump hailed Putin’s “savy” and “genius” with regard to Putin’s move into the Ukraine.

Cleksandra Matvlychuk is a Ukraine activist. She said, “A stronger global response is needed towards Russia. I think that people in the West don’t understand that it’s not about the Ukraine.” The Ukraine is the frontline of the “battle between authoritarianism and values of the free world.”

The Ottawa convoy has come and gone. Through the immediate and spectacular efforts of Trudeau and the Canadian government.

The “convoy” has announced its next target is Washington, D.C. At the moment, it appears the affront will arrive at different times. The first group for Biden’s State of the Union Address on March 1. A second group will arrive later on March 5. The convoy will embark from California and is not expected to arrive till that date.

The federal government has been getting ready. Fences are being reerected around the White House and certain other areas of the Capitol.

The National Guard has already been made available. Seven hundred. They will be unarmed. Local and White House police are engaged in preparations also.

January 6 was a warning. The government will be prepared this time.

The Washington convoy’s purpose is to protest pandemic restrictions. Canada’s convoy was to protest mandated vaccines. The cry lasted two days when it was discovered that 90 percent of Canadians were vaccinated.

Canada has set the standard by which these convoys are to be handled. Canada was successful. I am concerned whether the U.S. can do as well.

The U.S. is encumbered with too many minute incidental laws and procedures which will inhibit the authorities from doing what they must. The U.S. may ultimately be successful in getting rid of the convoy problem. However it will take much longer and be more burdensome than Canada’s solutions.

Enjoy your day!

To start a war does not require a Hitler type blitzkrieg or a Japanese sneak attack. An incursion is sufficient. A step over a line.

The U.S. must not parse words. The world understands. The U.S. must not fail in the eyes of the world as it has done in the recent past.

Mr. President: Full sanctions! Nothing less!

Today! The world is waiting to hear from us.

Failure to do so will weaken the U.S.’ recent NATO alliance that “we all stand together.” China will determine we are not the democratic world leader, viewing the U.S. as a “weakened power.”

Germany is to be congratulated. It stood up in a timely fashion by immediately halting approval of the NordStream 2 pipeline.

Putin ranted and raved on TV for more than an hour yesterday justifying his and Russia’s position. Putin obviously an excellent speaker. As many despots have been. Hitler and Castro two examples.

Putin views himself a “peacekeeper.” He should take another look in the mirror. He is a “warmonger.”

Former acting CIA Director John McLaughlin said: “Putin has choreographed this with the hope that we and the Europeans will debate whether this is an ‘invasion’ or not. And hoping that throws us enough off balance that he will pay a minimal price for the first slice of the salami.”

What a difference a day makes! Difficult to find any news this morning re what began as the Ottawa truck convoy problem.

Canada has pretty much cleaned up the situation. The truck problem 24 days long. Canada took a few days to get its act together. When done, it moved like all get out to resolve the problem. Failed to pussy foot around and delay as the U.S. has done with regard to demonstrations.

Beginning friday, the Ottawa police arrested 191 protesters, towed 57 remaining vehicles away, and removed tents, etc. erected for meetings and meals. Also moved trailers with heated toilets and 2 saunas.

Those refusing to leave were trampled by police horses.

Order has returned to Ottawa and for all intents and purposes Canada.

Ottawa’s Mayor advised that trucks, campers and vehicles recovered would be sold at public auction. The Emergencies Act invoked by Trudeau gave the Mayor authority to do so.

I am always concerned when someone brings God into a governmental situation. The most recent example is South Carolina’s Republican candidate for Congress Mark Burns. An evangelical Christian pastor, he vowed God would “raise up arms” to help conservatives “shut down” Democratic led Americans.

When I was a youngster attending a Catholic grammar school during World War II, I would wonder whose side God was on. Germans believed in God. Americans believed in God. Whose side was God on?

Syracuse won again yesterday. Beat Georgia Tech in overtime 74-73.

Buddy Boeheim made a 3 pointer near the end of the overtime that was instrumental in the Syracuse victory.

Boeheim did not score at all in the first half. Made only one 3 pointer, the one mentioned. Nevertheless ended up scoring 15 points.

Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou tonight. So much to talk about. In 30 minutes, I may only be able to cover the Ukraine and Canadian truck convoy situations.

Join me for a fast moving half hour. Nine my time. blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou

Enjoy your day!

Putin is calling the shots at the moment. Has everyone dancing to his tune. World leaders running to confer with him.

Putin the man of the hour! In all his sick glory! It bothers him not that many will needlessly die. It has become his way or the highway.

My feeling is the war is inevitable. Putin has made up his mind.

My concern is what will be his thought process when Biden hits him with what are supposedly the worst sanctions ever. Economic destruction for Russia, Putin, and his oligarch supporters.

Stupid Putin is not. He must have a retaliatory plan in mind. I worry the retaliation may be worse than anything up to that point. Armed conflict with many nations, including the United States?

Time will tell.

I feel as I did during the Cold War when nuclear war with the Soviets was possible every day.

At this moment, Putin must feel as Hitler and Tojo did when they caused World War II to begin. How will he feel when he experiences an end similar to that Hitler and Tojo suffered?

The sickness in Putin’s mind is evident based on the news released this morning. Putin has had a list prepared of Ukrainians who are to be killed or sent to concentration camps.

I am confused by what happened in the Senate friday. Congress was debating and supposedly to vote on what the sanctions would be. Surprised me as I thought such decision was the President’s and had already been made.

Typical of the Senate, a bipartisan decision could not be reached. Congress adjourned. Both Houses returned home as they have this week off.

A catastrophic war in the offing and they leave on vacation!

I understand further it makes no difference as to the sanctions. Biden alone can decide what they are and implement them without Congress’ backing.

Our governmental procedures continue to perplex me. Too many minor rules and regulations that can be called into play. Compelling the result in most instances that nothing gets done.

I watched the Grant and Lincoln stories last night on the History Channel. Excellent! I thought the Grant one better. Probably because I learned things about Grant I never knew.

Dr. McIvor’s Celebration of Life was a respectful event. People coming in and out. I would estimate 100 at any given time.

One thing struck me. Everyone was old, except for Susan’s two adult children and Dr.Norris.

Guess that is the way it is.

Enjoy your day!

Ukraine and Russia. Right vs. might. David vs. Goliath.

The winds of war are reaching hurricane velocity.

The Ukraine is to be admired. They continue to prepare for war. TV this morning showed how men, women and young children are training to shot with wood rifles. Parents seem to understand it is everyone’s fight.

I fear for the Ukraines. How can a nation getting ready for war with wood rifles defeat trained soldiers and a mechanized military?

There is no question the Ukraine will need the assistance of NATO and the U.S. to survive. Hopefully win. My concern is after a brief time helping, NATO, etc. will find the mess is too much for them to handle/be involved in and slowly withdraw.

A new world will be born. Geographical boundaries will change. Deaths, especially on the Ukrainian side, will sky rocket.

Another problem not discussed is the refugee problem that will erupt overnight. Ukrainians will be trying to leave their country for any European nation that will take them. Those nations will in short course not be amenable to providing the refugees a place of shelter.

Another concern is one little discussed. The war could be the match igniting a bonfire that will spread across Europe.

Anti-Semitism and anti-color prejudices are out of control. Both groups discriminated against historically. Periodically on the rise. We are in such a period at this time.

Let’s take a trip back in time.

On this day in 1939, a Nazi rally was held at Madison Square Garden. Twenty thousand attended.

The rally was held 6 1/2 months before Hitler invaded Poland.

Speakers stood on a stage with a thirty foot portrait of George Washington behind them.

The event was sponsored as a “Pro-American Rally.” It was sponsored by the German American Bund. Definitely anti-Semitic.

Banners everywhere reflecting the anti-Semitism: Stop Jewish Discrimination of Christian America…..Wake Up America. Smash Jewish Communism…..FDR was referred to as “Rosenfeld”….. Manhattan District Attorney Thomas Dewey as “Thomas Jewey.”

The main speaker sounded like a today White Supremacist. He said as part of his address: “We, with American ideals, demand that our government shall be returned to the American people who founded it…..a socially first, white Gentile-ruled United States…..a gentile-controlled labor union, free from Jewish Moscow – directed domination.”

At the time the rally was being held, Hitler was completing his sixth concentration camp.

Certain groups of gentiles are a driving force in today’s discriminatory increase against Jews and persons of color: Members of the far right, far right legislators, and certain groups of episcopalians who came to the U.S. as early settlers pre-Revolution.

The FDA has issued a warning that consumers not use certain Family Dollar products. Six states are involved.

A fumigation revealed 1,000 dead rodents at a distribution facility in Arkansas. Additionally live rodents, rodent feces and urine, evidence of gnawing, dead birds and bird droppings.

Family Dollar immediately put into effect a voluntary recall for certain specified products purchased between 1/1/21 and 2/18/22. Then followed up with the closing of 400 stores.

From 4-6 this afternoon, Dr. Michael E. McIvor’s Celebration of Life at the Marriott Beachside. A good man. I plan on attending.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Would you believe, Ottawa truckers openly telling police their first line of defense is their children.

Parents are openly and willingly placing their children in harm’s way. Twenty five percent of the protesting vehicles are occupied by families with children.

Insanity! Who intentionally places their children in a path of danger?

An excellent article appeared in yesterday’s Washington Post authored by Miriam Berger and Amanda Coletta regarding the subject.

The article pointed out placing one’s children in the middle of the Ottawa confrontation complicates police efforts to end the stand off which has paralyzed Ottawa.

Sandwiched between big rigs blaring their horns and blockading major thoroughfares are playpens and bouncy castles. Makeshift food stands serve child friendly meals.

In one tent, there is a sign listing daily activities for the children.

Posters erected by the truckers are everywhere invoking the need to protect the children.

Police are prioritizing the “safest way” to have children removed from the area prior to any sort police action.

Parents have warned/threatened authorities if they try to intervene, “children could get in the way.”

Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act last week. The Act bars bringing minors to unlawful demonstrations.

Trudeau recently said, “The absolute safest way for this to end is for everyone to return to your communities. It’s time to go home – especially if you have children with you.”

The truckers have learned from the Taliban and other Middle East combatants to place children next to buildings or places that would be bombed or attacked by the opposition.

A distinction. The truckers are not Taliban. They are Canadian. A different breed. A nationality steeped in doing the right thing all the time.

The truckers are failing this time. They have abandoned their heritage by using their children as their first line of defense.

Putin is doing something with the Ukraine that is going too far. Farther than even surrounding the Ukraine with 150,000 Russian troops. Even more than spike shelling the Ukraine 20 times through 2 am this morning.

Moscow announced beginning tomorrow there will be a sweeping exercise involving multiple missile launches. The purpose to offer a timely reminder of Russia’s nuclear might. Putin is scheduled to oversee the exercise himself.

Putin flexing his nuclear muscle. The missiles tomorrow will be duds. However what about next week in the event an all out war begins?

Putin is playing with fire. Nuclear devastation. Russia and the U.S. are not the only countries with nuclear power. Today there are many. Putin could trigger a mindset that what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Other countries may threaten in a similar fashion in their wars. Problem is along the way someone makes a “mistake” and hundreds of thousands could die.

Michael E. McIvor’s obituary appears in today’s Key West Citizen. My heart doctor and friend for 15 years.

The Doctor and I enjoyed many conversations involving Syracuse/Virginia sports. Especially basketball. McIvor was a proud Virginia graduate.

He an had a dry sense of humor. Many the time I was slow to catch on he was toying with me.

The good doctor was born in Morocco. Actually, Casablanca. I did not know till I read this morning’s obituary. His Dad was stationed in Morocco at the time with the military.

There will be a Celebration of Life sunday from 4-6 at the Marriott Beachside.

Key West’s One Human Family was not so back when. It was a very anti-black community.

A powerful one.

In the 1920’s, the Klu Klux Klan was established in Key West. Organized because of the white population’s opposition and fear of the growing political organization which was taking place in the black community. Its voice was heard throughout Florida. The Key West order became a Florida powerhouse.

Local Key West businessman Charles H. Ketchum was the Grand Dragon for the State of Florida. He ran the Klan during his term in office from his Key West home.

Today’s Citizen notes that on this day in 1924, the Local Order of the Klu Klux Klan put on a demonstration with a parade and naturalization ceremony at Bayview Park.

Take note of the “naturalization ceremony.”  A clear indication of how strong the Key West Klan was in the 1920’s. Lynching blacks by night and swearing in new white American citizens by day. Yes, Key West had a few lynchings back in those days.

Due to supply problems, there is a scarcity of new cars available for purchase.

The frosting on the cake. This past week, a cargo ship full of Porsches and Volkswagens caught fire in the middle of the Atlantic. The 22 man crew had to abandon ship.

The ship remains adrift. The ship owners are working at recovering the ship and whatever contents remaining. Problems have prohibited the reclamation to this point. Practical, not legal.

Enjoy your day!

The move is underway in Florida to make Big Brother part of everyone’s family. A legalized spy answerable only to the State.

Governor DeSantis wants to be President DeSantis. He is constantly trying to appeal to those who supported Trump in 2016. Appealing in many instances to to an extent not even attempted by Trump.

DeSants is promoting the Free State of Florida. He is doing so via surveillance and censorship.

There is a bill presently being fast tracked through the Florida legislature: The Don’t Say Gay Bill. It represents the beginning of the Big Brother concept becoming a legal part of our everyday existence.

Once law, it will require video cameras in classrooms, video camering of all conversation between a teacher and student(s), requiring videoing of all visits by a parent and child, parent alone, child alone, with a doctor re trans young issues. Additionally, teachers would be required wear microphones all day while working.

My initial reaction…..Thank you Adolf Hitler.

What makes it even worse is the Florida legislature will pass the legislation. They follow DeSantis as if they were children following the Pied Piper.

What is in the process of occurring is surveillance of the highest order. It is Orwellian, autocratic, authoritarian, and fascist. Dictatorial power foisted on what are supposedly a free people.

DeSantis’ efforts, which will be successful, are nothing more than a craven attempt to build power on the back of LGBTQ people.

DeSantis denies the legislation is an attempt at surveillance. He claims the “legislation has nothing to do with surveillance…..It is trying to protect…..students from forced indoctrination.”

What a joke! Who is attempting to indoctrination who? DeSantis’ aim is to “indoctrinate” people with his way of thing, falsehoods.

Floridians…..We are in trouble.

Several months ago I wrote a blog re DeSantis’ desire to have a private “police force” answerable only to him. Such in my opinion would be his Gestapo. If he had such, would it be his “Gestapo” who would enforce the surveillance powers being sought?

Think!

There is a right way and a wrong way to accomplish things.

One involves getting rid of an elected politician with whom you disagree. Vote the politician out of office. Such is the correct way.

The wrong way is to yell and scream, interrupt governmental gatherings, and so forth

In the world of politics, face to face confrontations achieve little if done in the fashion as it recently has with school boards.

California has a recall provision in its laws. File a petition with a certain number of names asking for the recall of a particular elected official. Hold the election. Vote the bum out if such is your wish!

It happened yesterday in San Francisco. Three school board members were removed from office via the recall method. Overwhelmingly! By 72-78 percent.

San Francisco Mayor Breed had supported the recall. It is now his responsibility to appoint three new school board members to serve till the next election.

The moral. Change things, do what you want, but do it the legal way. Which generally is through the ballot box.

An Ottawa update.

The police chief was fired yesterday. People believe he acted too slowly. He was not decisive in handling the truck blockade.

Command of the police chief’s duties and those of the police department have been taken over by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Ontario Provincial Police. Ottawa police for the time being are acting in a secondary roll.

An HIV cure! A novel first time approach has resulted in success. An unrevealed woman who had been HIV positive for 10 years is now believed to be cured.

The woman only the fourth ever to be cured. Hers by a different approach from the previous 3.

Previously bone marrow transplant was the way forward. Very complicated. Rarely attempted for a number of reasons.

The new method involves the transplant of umbilical cord blood from a donor with the mutation that blocks HIV entry into the cells.

The bird flu is slowly moving through the U.S. First discovered in Indiana. Now in a very few days has popped up in Kentucky and Virginia.

A major outbreak may be in the offing. Authorities not sure yet.

On this day in 1959, Fidel Castro became Premier of Cuba. A mere one and a half months after the overthrow of Fulgencio Batista.

Regardless of what you may think of the Cuban government, what Fidel created still stands after 63 years. Call it Communist. Point out food and medicine continues to be scarce. People not living as well as they should. Whatever, the fact remains the government still is in power.

Rent increases across the U.S. continue to rise. The rent increase is described as a “brutal spike.”

We now it all too well in Key West.

Nostalgia time.

The Borders Book Store was previously on North Roosevelt Boulevard. Where the Pet Supermarket stands today. Borders went out of business in September 2011.

I was an unhappy camper at the time. I spent a couple of hours every afternoon at Borders reading. Never bought a book. Probably there were many like me and that is why Borders failed.

The chairs were comfortable. The flow of new books constant.

I have never been able to get comfortable with the Key West Library. Can’t explain why. In 30 years, I have probably been in the building 10 times.

Nothing to be proud of. However, that’s the way it is.

Enjoy your day!

Consistent wrongdoing has a way of catching up. In Trump’s case, his financial statements. Those prepared for Trump organizations by his accounting firm Mazars USA.

Mazars in a 2/9/2022 letter, which became part of a court filing yesterday, advised Trump it could no longer stand behind a decade of statements…..the statements could no longer be relied on.

The letter has become part of the New York Attorney General’s civil investigation into Trump organizations.

Mazars letter in part reads: “Our advice to you…..no longer rely on those financial statements.”

Involved a reiteration of part of the Humpty Dumpty story. Recall Humpty Dumpty, in this case Donald Trump, sat on a wall and the wall came tumbling down. “All the King’s horses and all of the King’s men could not put Humpty Dumpty back together again.”

Another update re the Canadian truck convoy problem.

Canada does not fool around. Proof being the expediency with which it has moved on the truck convoy situation.

Trudeau is in the process of invoking the Emergencies Act. Never before used.

The Emergencies Act defines a national emergency as a “temporary and critical situation” that “seriously endangers the lives, health or safety of Canadians and is of such proportions or nature as to exceed the capacity or authority of a province to deal with it.”

Police have already begun “sabotaging truckers” heavy equipment.

An example involves 3 excavators parked on private land by having their “wires cut,” their “filters removed” and “spray foam put up their fuel lines.”

The government further warned “if you choose to use your vehicle to create chaos, you will lose that vehicle and your license.”

The police have begun arresting protesters at Ambassador Bridge. Before dawn yesterday. Successfully. By dawn only 2 pickup trucks and less than a dozen protesters remained blocking the road to the Bridge.

Canada is a large land mass. Its population relatively small in comparison. Nevertheless, strong in spirit. Like “Don’t tread on me.”

Two U.S. Senate fruitcakes are Rand Paul and Ted Cruz. Both support the Canadian truckers. Rand recommended they “clog the cities.” Cruz has openly come out in support of the truckers, describing them as “freedom fighters.”

I close today with the Battleship Maine.

On this day in 1898, the U.S.S. Battleship Maine was destroyed by an explosion in Havana Harbor. Two hundred plus crew members killed. In short time resulted in the Spanish-American War.

Tonight at 9 my time Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Join me for a rip roaring show. A quick moving half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Beside love and gift giving, the Day is named after Saint Valentine.

Valentine was a priest and physician who suffered martyrdom during the persecution of Christians by the Emperor Claudius II about 270 AD.

In modern day: “Will you be my valentine?” is like asking “Will you go out with me?” and saying “I like you.” Sending a card is a common way to let someone know you want to be their valentine.

Dinner dates, candy and flowers are special Valentine’s Day gifts.

Hope you have someone special with whom to share this day. There is nothing better than an affair of the heart

My blog is limited today. I have a series of tests beginning at 8 this morning.