What is Manchin’s problem?

Someone tell me.

I do not understand him.

I am concluding it may be one of following: He is a Republican to be in disguise or he has lost it mentally.

Representative Cori Bush (D-Mo.) said Manchin’s opposition to the reconciliation bill is “anti-Black, anti-child, anti-woman, and anti-immigrant.”

Can’t argue with Bush. Once again, I ask why has the man become the strange and demented person we see today.

Chilling events occurring. U.S.manufacturers are commenting about what they describe as “everyday stagnation.” Referring to demand, prices, and supply chain chaos being experienced.

The manufacturers seem to be united on one point: Things are not going to get better anytime soon.

I listened yesterday to the Supreme Court arguments in the two Texas abortion cases. Each dealing with the new law.

Interestingly, the arguments never mentioned abortion. The arguments had to do with the procedures involved under the new law.

My thoughts.

Questioning rarely gives an indication of how a judge may be thinking. I’ve argued appeals where I thought upon finishing that Judge X was with me. Rarely the case. The judge generally ruled the other way.

I make the point because Justices Kavanaugh and Barrett clearly would lead one to believe they were going to vote against the new law. Two staunch conservatives joining the Court’s liberal voting block?

If they do, I suspect it is there way of trying to get themselves back in the good graces of the American public. Recall they both supported the earlier shadow decision.

Appeals are really judges asking questions of the attorneys. I always found it a pain in the ass. I would be making a strong point for my client and suddenly one of the judges would interrupt with a question that had nothing to do with the issues in the case.

Questioning was heavy yesterday. Most of the questions seemed to be on point. Some from left field. However not being that versed in the minute legalities involved, I nevertheless am sure some were from left field. There always is.

Justice Kagan in a comment and not a question, knocked whoever the “genius” was who wrote the law.

The Los Angeles Times in an editorial written following the argument yesterday wrote, “The legitimacy of the high court and the integrity of the U.S. Constitution are…..at stake. Is the Supreme Court really going to let a state ignore the Constitution with a diabolically novel enforcement scheme?”

The Chinese and their government do many things not consistent with the way things are done in the U.S. Such does not necessarily mean the U.S. is correct in everything.

Missteps by the Chinese government have become obvious.

Saturday at the Shanghai Disneyland one person tested positive for coronavirus. Disneyland immediately shut down, locked the gates. No one could get out. There were 33,863 persons so confined.

The reason was those 33,863 had to be tested and questioned re whether near someone who had come down with the virus.

It took hours, but it was done.

The result: Not one of the 33,863 were infected. Impossible! There had to be some.

My suspicion is that the Chinese government must have directed the statement that no other person was infected. The only logical conclusion I can arrive at.

The woman killed in the scooter/auto accident saturday night has been identified: Kira Saner. Age 39. Resided on Stock Island.

I was talking on the phone with my manicurist Tammy yesterday. She sounded sad. She was. She told me Kira had been her customer.

An interesting editorial in the Key West Citizen this morning: “On COVID DeSantis Losing Touch With Reality.”

No question about it. He is worse than Trump and as arbitrary as Manchin. What I fear most is that if Trump does not run in 2024, DeSantis by a wide margin is considered the leading Republican candidate.

Tonight, tonight. Love tuesday nights. My blog talk radio show: Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. A fast moving half hour of me ranting and raving about the previous week’s happenings.

Guaranteed you will enjoy. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

At 10 pm last night tragedy struck in Key West. One event. Two deaths. An accident and a suicide.

The site North Roosevelt Boulevard near the 24 North Hotel. A silver SUV turned in front of a scooter. The scooter did not have time to stop.

The operator of the scooter was a woman. She died at Lower Keys Medical Center.

The operator of the SUV a man. He was directed by the police into the parking lot near the Gates Hotel. When there, he retrieved a hand gun and shot himself in the head. He died immediately. A suicide.

No other facts are available at this time.

Election days were different in Colonial times. Big booze parties.

This topic was selected because it took place in Virginia. Tomorrow an important gubernatorial election will take place in Virginia. The Colonial election took place on this day in 1758.

The atmosphere surrounding the two as different as day and night.

The election was for the Virginia House of Burgesses. The actual voting process not as it is today. Candidates met in one community. One large gathering in a large hall. Candidates spoke. Voting thereafter was by voice or showing of arms.

Another difference involved alcohol. Candidates were expected to provide booze. Everyone partied up before the vote was taken. Most of the voters drunk before the election itself.

One candidate and provider of spirits was George Washington. Already a wealthy planter. His reputation as a warrior having been established in the French and Indian Wars.

Washington was a generous man. As well as an astute one. He plied the voters with 47 gallons of beer, 35 gallons of wine, 2 gallons of cider, 3 1/2 pints of brandy, and 70 gallons of rum punch.

He won the election.

The pandemic is just under 2 years old. This weekend, COVID deaths exceeded 5 million world wide.

And the end is not yet in sight!

An important Supreme Court day. The Court will hear arguments on the restrictive Texas abortion law.

The case has been “fast tracked.” Because of the furor the “shadow court” decision made.

One problem, however. The Court’s decision is not expected till the Spring.

For several years, I have been advising an overhaul of the judicial system is in order. From the Department of Justice to the Supreme Court.

What sense does it make to fast track today’s hearing and then let the nation wait several months for the decision? If the case is important enough to be fast tracked, it is important enough to be decided with similar swiftness.

It can be done. It has been done. Gore v. Bush one example.

The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is one of the artistic wonders of the world.

The Sistine Chapel was opened to the public on this day in 1512 for viewing of the ceiling.

Michelangelo the artist. It took him 4 years to complete the project. Began in 1508, finished in 1512.

The most famous portion of the work is the center of the ceiling. Named “The Creation of Adam.” It shows the hands of God and Adam stretching towards each other.

I was fortunate to view the Sistine Chapel on two occasions. An experience in itself.

The whole world wants to see the ceiling. People arrive daily from all parts of the world. An ordeal to reach and then view the ceiling.

An extremely long corridor to reach the Chapel. People packed like sardines moving slowly.

After considerable time, one arrives in the Chapel itself. All necks cranked backward, eyes elevated. Excitement runs through one’s body. The ceiling an awesome sight.

The Chapel itself is not that large. Visitors continue to be packed in like sardines.

The viewing worth the discomfort. God was in Michelangelo’s hands as he painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

Enjoy your day!

Happy Halloween!

One of my happiest days as a father. When the kids were little, I took them Trick or Treating. I would stand on the sidewalk as they ran up to the front door of each house.

Their excitement became mine.

When we got home, we would lie on the living room carpet and go through the goodies. Me, too! I enjoyed the excitement of….Look what I got! I enjoyed also in joining them eating the unhealthy food.

Their mother was always in the background yelling at me to “stop letting them eat that garbage.”

Those were the days.

I have been in quarantine again for 3-4 months. Sick of it!

Next saturday will be 2 weeks since my booster shot. I can’t wait. I am getting stir crazy. I am going out next saturday!

I missed Fantasy Fest this week. All I have are some newspaper photos to show me what is going on.

From my perspective, nothing should have been. Key West cancelled the parade and other public events. However everything else was planned, open and available.

Saw a picture of the Zombie Bike Riders. Three different streets. Crowded shoulder to shoulder as far as the eye could see. Everyone made up to look like zombies.

The zombie parade begins at the cemetery. Because of the crowd, three separate streets were used. Each ending up in the same place on Duval.

There was also a photo of costume dressed people marching down Duval all excited. Not as many as the zombie event, but enough.

My age affects my thinking process. I believe all of Key West should have been shut down. No partying anywhere, inside or out.

COVID is not behind us. Yes, the numbers are better in Florida the past 2 weeks. Guaranteed the numbers will be up in Key West in 2 more weeks. COVID must have had a field day this past week while enjoying Fantasy Fest together with the humans.

Facebook has billions with which to operate. Whatever they do should be better than what has been done. All of Facebook’s problems probably could have been avoided with better care being taken in the formulation/development of new steps.

The most recent example being the new name for Facebook revealed this past week by Zuckerberg: META, short for Metaverse.

Facebook blew it!

The term META is traceable to “dead” in Hebrew. Israelis have been mocking the name. Someone developed a new hashtag: #Facebook Dead.

When it rains, it pours!

Lori has been cutting my hair for more than 25 years. We have become friends.

I got a haircut about a week ago. Lori told me she and her husband were going camping this weekend. Where, I asked? In the Everglades.

Sounded strange to me. I have been through the Everglades by car several times and once by a 24 hour boat trip.

I asked why would you want to go to the Everglades to camp.

They have done it before. They were going with another couple this time. The others like to swim. Swim!!! They’ve got to be crazy!

Lori agreed. She refuses to go in the water. There are alligators everywhere. And who knows what else.

This blog appears also in Feedspot everyday. Feedspot carried an article today: Snorkeling in the Florida Everglades.

No way, Jose! Some people are just plain crazy!

Gas prices have been going up the past several months. COVID and the supply line problems the reasons given why.

Bullshit!

Saudi Aramco announced yesterday that it had posted a 160 percent rise in profit for the third quarter just ended. In dollars, the profit amounted to $30.4 billion.

We have been warned gas prices will continue to go up. Aramco announced they expected the next few quarters to be even better.

President Biden and Communion. An ongoing issue.

Prior to Biden’s visit with the Pope, several American bishops wrote the Pope chastising him for meeting with Biden. The reason being Biden supports legalized abortion.

Recall a good number of American bishops are anti-Pope Francis. They want him removed from the Papal Office for a number off reasons. They are joined in the effort by Steve Bannon and Newt Gingrich.

The Pope handled the matter well.

In their face to face meeting, Francis called Biden a “good Catholic” and said he should continue receiving Communion.

That same day, Biden and his wife received Communion at St. Patrick’s Church in Rome. St. Patrick’s a part of Francis’ archdiocese. Father Joe Ciccone is Vice-Rector at St. Patrick’s. He said, “When you are a public figure you have to make certain decisions, especially in a democracy, on behalf of more than just your own personal feelings.”

The Atlanta Braves continue to have a nick name problem. A number of people want the name “Braves” removed.

It’s World Series time. Last night, Trump and wife attended the game in a private box. They were seated up front in the box. They smilingly joined the rest of the fans who stood and did the “Tomahawk Chop.”

The term is considered racist and demeaning by Native Americans.

Syracuse won again yesterday. Beat Boston College 21-6. Hope we win a couple more.

Enjoy Halloween!

Tomorrow night is Halloween. All kinds of evil things will occur. The dead will rise from their graves. Ghosts will run the streets. Satan will do his sinful work. Children may be stolen.

Witches will be out and about. Satan’s mates. Cats scurrying about. Especially, black ones.

Lock yourselves indoors!

Witchcraft was in vogue from the 1200s through the 1600s. The Catholic cry was to get rid of the witches. They were the Devil’s representatives on earth. Good people were burned at the stake.

Cats got involved. Witches and cats go together. Cats were linked to Satanism and witchcraft.

Some Pope in the 11oo’s decried cats were diabolical, associated with the Devil. Cats began to have their own Inquisition. They were tortured and culled, just as humans during the Spanish Inquisition.

In 1233, a Trump type was Pope. Gregory IX. He needed to enhance his image. He issued a papal bull. Vox in Rama. In it, Gregory clearly spelled out the relatioship between cats and the Devil. An evil marriage.

That was it for cats. Cat executions significantly increased. They were executed in large numbers. Very few, if any, cats existed for 400 years.

Cats were #1 rat predators. Without cats, the rat population flourished. Rats were the ones that spread the bubonic plague aka black death.

It took 100 years for the effect of the slaughter of the cats to be felt. Europe experienced its first bubonic plague outbreak in the early 1300’s. Three more thereafter. It is estimated 50 million died. The number represented 50-60 percent of the world’s population at the time.

All because a Pope assumed cats were evil.

Cats generally carried fleas in their body hair. The fleas were infected with the plague. The plague was transferred from the cats to humans in 2 ways. A cat would bite or scratch a human. Or, the fleas carried in cat hairs jumped over onto a human’s body.

It was game on! The plague bacillus is known as Yersinia pestis. It found its way into a person’s nearest lymph node where it replicated itself.

Death ensued.

There has never been a vaccine for the bubonic plague. Modern day medicines have been developed however which can cure the plague infection if timely received.

The plague was born because a Pope thought cats were in some manner related to the Devil and recommended the death of all cats.

A brilliant move thought he. People acclaimed him. The Pope a precursor to Trump, though by many years.

Enjoy your day!

What goes around comes around.

Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema will get their just due. It is only a question of when.

It is not because they played hardball. Rather, it is because they did not know how to say yes when asked to cooperate, for a favor, etc. Many visited them over the past few weeks asking for help. Reasons given why. Positive responses appear to have been none.

Those asking were primarily contemporaries. Other elected officials. Including President Biden.

Manchin especially refused to bend.

Everyone needs a favor now and then. Special help. Manchin and Sinema will approach those they have recently turned down. Memories are long lived. They will receive the same congenial response they gave to those who asked for their help. Sorry…..I just can’t do it.

A man I have admired for many years is New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof. He started with the Times when 25. Now 37 years later at 62, he is leaving.

Hard to believe.

He is leaving to run as the Democratic candidate for Governor of Oregon.

He feels an obligation to actually fight the battles he has commented on up to this time.

A good man. A very good man. However, I think he’s crazy. He is entering the twilight of his life/career. He is highly respected. Twice a Pulitzer Prize winner. His written words always steeped in wisdom.

He has been motivated by a desire to help. No selfish purpose involved.

In his sudden good bye column, he wrote: “We are an amazing species, and we can do better.” Such will be his goal. To do better by helping those most in need. If you have been a loyal reader of his columns over the years, you would recognize his motivation an unselfish one.

Such is the man.

Andrew Cuomo has been legally charged. With one misdemeanor. Eleven women complained. Only one’s complaint is being pursued apparently.

The woman claims breast fondling.

The charge carries a maximum sentence of one year. The case is venued in Albany City Court.

The case could be one involving she said, he said. Perhaps more. Time will tell.

Facebook announced it is changing its name to META. No more Facebook.

How this will help them re the company’s present problems, I don’t know.

Several other social media companies are doing the same.

Men! Beware or aware. I am not sure. My message is that cosmetic companies have decided to go after men. A multibillion dollar target from the perspective of producers. Make up “is the final frontier of men’s grooming.”

In 2019, the market was $47 billion. By 2027, it is expected to be $78 billion.

Male grooming is big in Asia. Especially Japan. Japan is 65 percent of the world’s business. At the present time, the U.S. a mere 5 percent.

Enjoy your day!

President Biden leaves today for Europe and a series of meetings. One involves a meeting at the Vatican with Pope Francis.

Francis the #1 Catholic in the world. Biden one of the most devoted.

There is much they could talk about. World problems are many. However due to the constraints of time, I have selected one which I believe will consume a good portion of their time. American bishops.

Both men are “common targets” of a large group of American bishops seeking to undermine them.

Climate change is an item of concern to both men. A significant one.

In 2015, Francis wrote the encyclical Laudats Si. It dealt with climate change and global warming. Francis recognized the dangers and wrote the encyclical which in normal course would reach Church members world wide.

It is common knowledge that a significant number of Catholic bishops oppose Francis. The U.S. Conference of Bishops one. Whatever Frances stands for, they are against.

The Bishops Conference is the far right wing of the Catholic Church. Like far right Republicans in the U.S. In fact, the Bishops and far right Republicans have joined in their efforts to oppose the same things politically in the U.S. They walk hand in hand.

To appreciate what is being set forth, recognize that the U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican under Trump was Callista Gingrich. Wife of Newt Gingrich. Her position gave Gingrich influence in the Vatican.

During the Trump administration, Steve Bannon became interested in the Vatican. His purpose to bring down existing governments was extended to include the Vatican. The Vatican is considered a government state.

Bannon spent considerable time within the Vatican. He and Gingrich worked hand in hand. Both strongly opposed to Francis. The two worked with the Catholic bishops and Vatican hierarchy opposed to Francis.

What a marriage! Catholic bishops, Vatican hierarchy, Gingrich and Bannon all working against Francis.

Francis needed God on his side then and now.

Encyclicals are like a letter to all Catholics. Bishops and local clergy are expected to make parishioners aware of an encyclical’s contents and push parishioners to support a Pope in the position taken.

Catholic bishops did not push Laudats Si. Never made it a priority. Went their own way by ignoring the encyclical. By so doing, the bishops diminished its importance.

Silence can influence a subject. Silence can work as a denial of a subject.

Catholic bishops seem to be of the same frame of mind as older Republicans. Also each group is white. Older and white. Sound familiar?

Most interesting was a survey conducted. Forty seven percent of those Bishops who responded said FOX News was their primary source of news.

Would you believe!

Biden was to fly off to Europe at 8:30. He has not left yet. He is making a last ditch effort to package the social infrastructure bill.

Manchin and Sinema are the culprits holding things up. Their 2 votes required.

Both can congratulate themselves from destroying what initially was a terrific bill for the American people. They have eaten away at it. Many important matters had to be removed. Some lessened in time and money.

Retribution and revenge are in order. It will come. Not immediately. However at some future time, each will feel the wrath of their Party and the American people.

Kyrsten Sinema committed sacrilege. Tuesday she wore a black T shirt and blue denim vest when she was Presiding over the Senate.

She has chosen the path of personal ambition over party loyalty. She perceives herself as another John McCain. She kids herself!

Diversity has been around for two generations now. Intended to help blacks and other minorities. The tide is turning. In recent years, diversity in some cases has been working in favor of whites over blacks. Sort of what’s good for the goose is good for the gander and vice versa.

The day of successful “reverse discrimination” is at hand.

David Duvall is in his early 50’s. A white man. He was part of senior management with Novant Health hospital system. He was Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications. He had been employed by Novant for close to 5 years.

Novant determined a need to promote diversity in its management ranks by sex and gender. Duvall was fired within 5 days of his fifth anniversary with the company. Significant also in that he would have been entitled to a greater severance pay if he had reached the 5 year mark.

Duvall was discharged for alleged incompetency, mistakes, etc. He was replaced by a black woman and a white woman.

Duvall sued in federal court in North Carolina. He claimed he was fired because he was a white male.

The jury agreed with him. He was awarded $10 million.

Enjoy your day!

I sense I am watching the destruction of our government. Day by day. Always something new.

How many of us care? I assume at least 50 percent. I wish it was 100 percent, that we never had to deal with the problem.

I have lived a long life. Never once conceived what is happening today would occur.

I fear we are not killing the “coup movement.” So many a part of it. Not just politicians. Everyday people. Young and old alike.

The U.S. has always reflected being made of stern stuff. It could overcome everything. I hope it can this time.

Krysten Sinema. A hippy from the ’60s. She arrived two generations too late. She would have been a leader in the 1960’s lifestyle.

She has acquired a new label: Denim Girl.

This past week she wore a denim vest while presiding over the Senate. Pure intentional disrespect.

She had to know it was in poor taste. That it adversely reflected on her respect for the Chamber.

Denim attire is prohibited in the Senate. There is a sign for example in the Senate Press Gallery: DRESS CODE / No: Denim, hats, overcoats, purses, bags.

Perhaps she cannot read.

All type of commodities are beginning to run in short supply. Oil is one. I have repeated the situation several times. I feel the need to repeat it again.

The pump price of gasoline continues to slither up. Prices surging.

Oklahoma an example of what is happening. Its crude oil tanks are being depleted. Which means even higher prices at the pump. Any depletion results in higher prices

The consumer never wins.

Short blog this morning. I am not sure how I feel.

The booster shot reaction may still be with me.

I thought I was fine when I started Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou last night. Within 15 minutes, my energy factor was moving to zero. I pushed myself to finish the show.

I could tell how I felt was being reflected in my voice. It lacked zip. Articulation poor. I was slowing down.

I diminished.

This morning I went to the show’s archive. Listened to last night’s show. I was correct. My voice sounded like I was a dying man.

I then went to a show I did a few weeks ago. The difference decided. No question I was screwed up last night.

Not sure how I feel yet this morning. If no correction, I’ll see the doctor this afternoon.

Enjoy your day!

Paper shortages return. Second time in recent years. Especially toilet paper and paper towels. Some supermarket shelves totally empty. Some partially. Shortages expected to be a disaster by Christmas.

Paper towels we can do without. Toilet paper another story. A “necessity.”

There is a replacement/substitute however. The bidet.

Jokingly referred to as the “toilet sidecar” and “derriere power washing.”

The bidet came first. Historically in use prior to toilet paper. Prior to either, one’s cleanliness depended on leaves and sticks.

The advent of toilet paper was introduced as a “luxury.” As well as a necessity, it continues to be considered such. In each paper shortage, there has been “panicked toilet paper hoarding.”

COVID-19 has spurred recent shortages.

The shortage problem has been partially solved with the U.S. discovery of bidets. Bidet sales have boomed this past year.

Bidets are perfect for cleansing the nether regions with a gentle jet of water. Its powers considered vastly superior to toilet paper.

Bidets have been popular outside the U.S. for years. Bidets are called “Toto Washlet” in Japan. Eighty percent of Japanese homes are equipped with bidets. In 1975, Italy mandated their presence in every home.

Their slow U.S. growth has been moved along in the past year because of the pandemic. Two type bidets are in popular use. One is an actual toilet appearing structure, minus a seat, which sits next to the toilet in a bathroom. The other a “bidet attachment.”

The attachment has received rapid acceptance this past year. Probably due to cost. $39.95. The attachment is attached to the bottom of the toilet seat. Connected to a water supply by a simple attachment beneath the toilet itself.

Cheap to purchase. Simple to attach. Easy to use.

Bidets actually pre-date modern rolled up toilet paper. Rolled toilet paper was patented in 1891. Bidet roots go back to the 17th or early 18th century in France.

Various designs were in use which led to today’s model.

Bidets grew in popularity prior to World War II in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and South America. Not in the U.S., however.

Initial bidets were wood constructed. Sat along side toilets. They were faucet fillable sidecars in effect. Water was run into the bidet. Hands required to wash the backside.

As models advanced, nozzles were added that applied a light spritz of water, thereby eliminating hand washing.

The U.S. was not impressed. The primary issue was size. A bidet is almost the size of another toilet.

Many Americans viewed the bidets as symbols of French indecency. Bidets had become popular in French whore houses for use by the ladies for cleansing purposes and birth control.

Bidets are hygienic. Cleansing with water rather than paper more logical.

Following the water spray, a hand towel can be used for drying. Not cleansing. The cleansing already accomplished by the water spray.

U.S. citizens find it difficult to adapt to change. They are not fans of change. Sometimes such can be a “bummer.”

My personal experience with bidets has been extensive. The first home I purchased in Key West I lived in for 23 years. The master bathroom came equipped with a bidet. I used it. Found it to be absolutely the best for cleansing! Better than toilet paper!

I presently live in a rental. Four years. No bidet the first 3 years. Relegated to toilet paper again.  I was not a happy camper.

Last year, I came across the $39.95 attachment on the internet. Purchased it.

Happiness returned!

Enjoy your day!

I received my vaccine  booster shot saturday afternoon.

Has knocked me on my ass.

Amazing!

Yesterday, I could not focus till 5 in the evening. I tried everything to get a blog out. To no avail. I have notes for a Justice Sotomayor piece. Tried to write it. No way! In the past 12 years, I have done 4 Social Security pieces. Referencing the rape of Social Security by the government. I have been wanting to do one again. No way could I put it together.

I tried my usual several topic format. Did not work.

It was hard to think. Best expressed, I was foggy.

Ergo, skipped yesterday’s blog. Going to happen today again.

My head is clear. My body totally exhausted. I can’t believe how tired I am.

I have been told several times if you have a reaction to the vaccine, it’s good. Means the vaccine is taking hold. It has got me!

I hope these few days of maladies will be over today. I want to feel better.

Hopefully, tomorrow.

Enjoy your day!

I have to smile. Some are critical that I favored getting the shots and am excited to be getting the booster shot today. Makes me wonder. Is freedom of choice only for those who do not want the shot?

Halloween a week away. Ever wonder the origin of the Halloween pumpkin?

Pagan roots. Not surprising. Many things are of pagan origin..

The night connecting October 31 and November 1 has always been a scary one. The “spirits” are out. Thought for real in times past. Today part of the tradition.

The story takes us back to Samharin. An ancient pagan festival. The evening of 10/31 into 11/1 was considered the time when autumn transitioned into winter. The ancient Celts believed on that particular evening a thin “veil” existed between life and death. “Spirits” roamed freely between between life and death. Celts of course did not want to meet them.

One spirit in particular: Stingy Jack. Purportedly the Devil’s representative.

To protect against Stingy Jack, lanterns were prepared. So as to see Jack. Lanterns were placed in windows, in front of houses and carried by hand if out walking.

Initially, lanterns were made of metal. Too expensive. So people began using earth vegetables. Turnip being the most popular. As with today’s pumpkin, the turnip was carved with a face figure and candles were placed inside.

Somewhere along the line, the turnip gave way to the pumpkin.

People originally believed that Stingy Jack or one of the spirits might capture them. If so, they would be taken to “Limbo.” There to remain forever, never to see the face of God.

The Halloween lantern scenario began in Ireland. Made its way to the U.S. sometime in the early 1800’s. First made its existence known to all in the 1820 adaptation of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The Headless Horseman was shown with a pumpkin pick o’ lantern in place of his severed head.

Today one of historical significance. It was on this day in 42 B.C. that Marcus Julius Brutus committed suicide.

Brutus is best known because of his “Et tu, Brute?” fame. He was one of those who assassinated Julius Caesar.

Caesar spoke those words as Brutus was knifing him.

Brutus’ cooperation in the assassination was thought strange. He was much younger thn Caesar. Caesar had been his mentor. Taught him the ways of Roman government. He was responsible for Brutus’ successes.

Those assassinating Caesar were of the opinion that Caesar’s death would help to better Rome’s government. They were wrong. Everyone wanted to then be Caesar. Civil War broke out among several factions.

Two years following Caesar’s death, Brutus’ army was defeated by those of Octavius and Anthony. Brutus committed suicide as a result of the defeat.

There is a certain “classiness” that goes with being a former President. Certain acts and statements are not made. Lacking in good taste!

The story of Trump in a Moscow hotel room with some prostitutes before his election and some peeing on the bed or its occupant has been around for years. Never proven.

Trump spoke thursday evening at a key donor Republican dinner. Unprompted and not invited, Trump made the statement: “I’m not into golden showers.”

Thank you, Donald. We have all been waiting for your denunciation of the alleged occurrence.

United Airlines warned prices will spike thanks to rising jet fuel costs. The result of recent supply shortages and the pandemic.

Syracuse plays Virginia Tech at 12:30. A toss up as to who will win. Syracuse is 3-4 and Virginia Tech 3-3.

Syracuse carries a heavy on their shoulders. Its last 3 games were each lost by 3 points. Close games. Had Syracuse won, its record would be 6-1 going into today’s game.

Would have beens don’t count, however.

Church bells rang on wednesday this week. Jean Thornton had returned! Key West’s Golden Girl because of the emeralds and gold coins she found on a Mel Fisher dive. Changed her life!

Everyone loves Jean!

Enjoy your day!