Hemingway’s loves were many.

The first Agnes Hannah von Kurowsky.

Hemingway was 18. He wanted to participate in World War I. The U.S. was not yet in the War. He volunteered to be an ambulance driver for the American Red Cross in Italy.

It was on this day in 1918 that Hemingway was wounded. He was struck by an Austrian mortar shell. The two men sanding next to him were killed. Another nearby seriously wounded.

Hemingway had serious wounds to his right foot and knee. He had been rendered unconscious and was under a pile of dirt.

Unknowingly, his consciousness returned. He picked up the wounded soldier next to him, threw him over his shoulder, and carried him back to a first aid dugout.

Totally unaware what he was doing. Never recalled the soldier, never recalled that he carried him back to the first aid area.

The Italian government became aware, however. They considered him a hero. He was awarded the Croce de Guerra, the Italian medal of valor.

He was shipped to a hospital in Milan for surgery and care. His leg wounds serious. His recovery time in the hospital six months. His nurse an American. Her name Agnes Hannah von Kurowsky.

They fell in love. A flaming love. Hemingway a bit younger at 18. Agnes, 26.

Hemingway was permitted a few days away from the hospital. He and Agnes visited Lake Maggiore. They stayed at the Grand Hotel in Stresa.

Following Hemingway’s recovery, he was sent back to the U.S. He thought Agnes would follow soon thereafter and they would be married.

Agnes changed her mind. Wrote a Dear John letter to Hemingway.

He was destroyed.

A Farewell to Arms is based on his experience in the Italian war and his relationship with Agnes. Only the ending different. Instead of the Dear John letter, Agnes’s counterpart died after a terrible trip in a raging storm in a rowboat over Lake Maggiore in an attempt to reach Switzerland. She died in child birth.

Hemingway’s character Catherine Barkley is based on Agnes.

I have been fortunate to have visited Lake Maggiore and the Grand Hotel several times.The Lake magnificent. Strewn with tiny islands. Bright flowers on shore and covering the islands.

I visited the Grand. Thrilling! A step back in time. Hemingway had stayed there, drank there.

The Grand and other hotels in Stresa all from another era. I assume built before 1900. All majestic.

I inquired of the bartender about Hemingway. He never met him. However there was a very old waiter who knew him and had waited on him when he was a bartender back in the time Hemingway and Agnes had been there.

The bartender introduced me to the gentleman I respectfully describe as the old bartender.

He was delighted to share with me those few days he had spent with Hemingway and Agnes. The bar was in the rear of the hotel at the time. Not up front as it was when I was there. He took me to see it. It was a small room. Now used for storage. One window. He showed me where Hemingway sat so he could get a view out the window.

I dined in area restaurants. One was on a small island off shore. A boat ride away. Somewhat like dining these days at Latitudes on Sunset Key. Except the island held only one small building. I had the feeling it once was a chapel. Sat outside on a balcony overlooking the water. Brilliant red flowers all around me.

The preceding merely an interruption. There is more to the Hemingway/Agnes story.

Hemingway had long left Key West. He was living in Cuba when Agnes opted to move to Key West. It was 1951. She remained till 1966. Her purpose in coming to Key West was not to see Hemingway.

Hemingway revisited Key West on occasion. Historians doubt he even knew Agnes was living on the island. Agnes never attempted to meet him. The former lovers never saw each other after Hemingway left Italy.

Agnes lived in Key West 15 years. A librarian at the Monroe County Library.

Agnes never shared her Hemingway relationship with anyone in Key West. However after a number of years, the “trolley car” people discovered her. She finally left in 1966 after becoming upset with the trolley cars going by her home every day and announcing on a loudspeaker that hers was the house where Hemingway’s first girl friend lived, the heroine in A Farewell to Arms, etc.

While still living in Key West, Agnes became friends with Hemingway’s fourth wife Mary.

After Hemingway died, Mary visited Key West to go through some boxes Hemingway had left in a back room at Sloppy Joe’s. It was in one of the boxes that Mary discovered Agnes’ Dear John letter to Hemingway. She also discovered some love notes Hemingway received from Agnes.

Agnes discovered Mary was now living in Key West. She visited with her. Returned the Dear John letter and love notes to her.

Ironically, Mary and Agnes became the best of friends and remained so the rest of their lives.

Enjoy your day!

Man has two basic needs. Shelter and food.  Without, survival can be difficult.

Coronavorus has exposed society to worse shelter and food problems than existed before. An apocalypse is in the making.

In June, 30,000 Americans could not make rent. A federal eviction program exists which has protected many in recent months. However, it ends July 25.

Most are already 3 months behind in rent payments. B the end of July, it will be 4. How will the landlord be paid? Another $1,200 check won’t make things better, assuming another $1,200 check is even forthcoming.

Expect therefore a huge wave of evictions, homelessness, and hunger.

The eviction/homeless numbers are staggering. Experts project 15 percent over 2 months resulting in 17 million new persons on the streets.

Food banks have been doing the job so far. They will be overloaded. Some will go hungry.

The result will be more demonstrations. Actually, riots. Civil disorder as we have not known in recent times. People cannot be denied the basics for survival.

Bubonic plague can be the next pandemic.

This has not been an easy year thus far. First, coronavirus. Recently in Florida, 8 cases of dengue fever. The Fall is coming. Flu season will return .

The bubonic plague is the black death of the Middle Ages. Rarely occurs in modern times.

It occurred recently in Mongolia near the Russian border. Two cases initially. Bad at a time when there should be none.

The cases confirmed. Two brothers. The plague caused by eating marmot meat.

Marmot meat is the “native cuisine” of Mongolia. The relatively small animal is skinned and cleansed. Hot coals are sewed into the stomach of the animal. The marmot is left to cook.

Mongolia now has 146 confirmed cases of bubonic plague. Five hundred four second contact individuals.

The Mongolian government did not screw around. As is evident, they are already into tracing.

WHO is concerned. They have people on the ground in Mongolia.

A noteworthy observation. The Mongolians are paying attention. They are getting on top of the problem immediately. They are not dilly-dallying as the U.S. has with coronavirus.

The Alps are magnificent. Beautiful. Awesome.

I have had the opportunity to visit various parts several times. Snow and ice on the tops of the mountains even in the summer.

I recall a July when when I was staying in a chalet half way up Mont Blanc. Somewhere around the Italian/French border. It was hot.

Woke one morning to find snow everywhere. No green grass left to be seen. Strange as it was, it had snowed overnight. Locals told me not uncommon in the summer. By 11 in the morning, the snow had melted.

The white snow of the Alps is now pink in many places. Described as salmon tinted. Watermelon colored. A bad sign for the Earth’s climate.

The pink is caused by “snow algae.” The algae caused by warmer than normal weather. The effect on the glacier ice and snow is that both melt faster. Resulting in flooding below.

Coronavirus has a serious hold on the U.S. for 2 reasons. A President who has failed to lead by example and who has failed to accept coronavirus as a danger. Another is most people refuse to follow the simple rules required to bring the virus under control. Like mask wearing, social distancing, and washing hands. They also want to party when such is not recommended.

Key West is no different than most other parts of the country. Key West did well initially. Now it has succumbed to the desires of the business community to reopen.

Local coronavirus numbers have steadily been rising since June 1 when Key West and Monroe County reopened. They will increase further as a result of the July 4 weekend past.

Local leaders banned the Fourth fireworks. A wise move. They also have prohibited persons from buying alcohol inside bars where social distancing is being enforced and then taking the drinks outside to a crowded sidewalk to drink where there is no social distancing.

The beaches were closed also.

That’s it.

I would have closed the restaurants and bars. Even though the 6 foot rule in bars and 50 percent rule in restaurants was being enforced.

Tourist came to Key West for the Fourth. They partied.

My friends who were out reported 75 percent of those on Duval were without masks. Mostly tourists. Most young people.

The Town should have been shut down for the weekend. We do not need strangers bringing disease to Duval Sreet.

I was also told the boat business was good. Visitors filled the boats the whole weekend.

Most tourists are coming from Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. They are the 2 highest numbered counties in the whole U.S. for coronavirus.

Miami-Dade closed down. Broward on the way to doing it.

No problem. U.S. 1 to Key West is open.

Monroe County made it easy. Took down the road block June 1. Succumbed to the pressure of local businessmen to reopen.

What will 2 weekends from now hold? An increase in coronavirus cases in Key West. Without question. The town may have to be closed down again and properly so.

Lets put this in perspective. The Key West hospital has only 10 ICU beds. Four already occupied. The rest of Monroe County 8. Where will our sick go? Out of town to be hospitalized and perhaps die.

Many believe we are experiencing the “second wave” of the virus. They’re wrong. Even Dr. Fauci says we have not finished the first yet. He claims the U.S. continues to be “knee deep” yet in the “first wave.”

The U.S. is presently just short of 3 million coronavirus cases.

The numbers keep rising dramatically. Coronavirus is like a meteor. It moves rapidly.

Last thursday represented the highest daily number of new cases in the U.S. Fifty five thousand plus. Up from the previous day’s 52 thousand plus.

On today’s date in 1896, May Johnson caught a chicken and prepared it for dinner: Lena and I “caught a chicken, Lena pulled, I picked, we cooked dinner.”

Reminded me of my youth. Like 4-5 years old. Chickens were bought in “chicken stores.” Not like today in super markets. In fact, no supper markets back then in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s. Big grocery stores at the most.

The chicken stores sold only chickens. The store a room filled with open cases of live chickens. The customer selected the chicken desired. A worker took it behind the counter. Killed and plucked the chicken. Plucking removing the feathers.

We were poor. Could not afford to buy a chicken.

No one who could pay wanted the feet. Bones with little meat and a lot of skin. The stores kept them for those who might have a need. For free. We had a need.

I used to go with my grandmother. The store always had a bag of legs waiting for her. She got enough for the whole family.

The legs were boiled. Made for excellent chicken soup. The bones and skin tasted good and provided the protein portion of a meal.

I do not know what happens to the chicken bones these days. Never have seen in a super market. Someone has to be eating them.

My thanks to everyone who wished me a Happy Birthday. The greetings are still coming in today. You are all wonderful people!

Tonight my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Trust me, there is much to discuss. I will be in all my glory ranting and raving.

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

Enjoy your day!

Today is my birthday. I am 85 years old.

Big number!

I want to share with you my thoughts re aging on this my 85th birthday.

Everything was just yesterday. Kindergarten, grammar school, first bike, first job, first girl friend, first kiss, high school, college, law school, early days practicing law, marriage, son being born, then 3 daughters, first trial, each step in the development of my practice, great victories, terrible defeats, a dying marriage, the women I loved, the women who loved me, first car, first new car, illnesses, my grandparents, my parents, grandchildren being born, purchase of Key West home, becoming a writer, the Chart Room, my many friends, death all around me in increasing numbers as time goes on.

Yesterday in the sense that all these things occurred time wise for me only yesterday. Not years ago.

Which means time moves fast. The years get shorter. Each succeeding year shorter than the previous. Here it is July and New Years was only yesterday.

You move towards death at a resounding speed.

Death itself does not concern me. I view it as one of two things. When you have had an operation, they inject you with something to put you under. Everything is black. Not even a dream. If there is no after life, such will be death.

On the other hand, I would prefer an afterlife. Not because I want to live forever. Rather I want to see those I loved so much who went before me. Especially my parents and grandparents.

My mind is locked at 35. The body ages, the mind does not. I still think 35.

The body unfortunately does not stay put. Its goal is total deterioration.

I have abused my body on occasion. Not badly, however. Overall took care of it. At 31, I got sick and spent 4 months in bed. I’ve been a hypochondriac since. Which means I go to the doctor frequently. Check every pain and discomfort.

The body is like a car. You have to bring the car to a garage to be tuned up. So too must the body. To the doctor’s office.

I have a number of physical ailments at 85. Take 16 prescription pills a day. Says it all. No need to detail each problem.

Except for one. My heart. My major defect.

We are our parents. My father had a heart problem. For years. He lived to 98, however.

I have the same problem. Hopefully, I will make it to 98.

Genetics are on my side. My grandfather lived to 94. One of my father’s sisters 102.

The mind gets smarter as one ages. It must be the accumulation of knowledge factor. When I was 50, it dawned on me how smart I was. As a lawyer. By 60, I knew everything I had to know in my specialty. I even impressed myself.

The brain has many cells. It seems to accumulate.

Caronavirus scares me. They say we who are 80 plus are most susceptible. Especially if there is an underlying malady involved. I have mine. The heart.

I watch my health. Today is not only my birthday, it is also the 117th day of self-quarantine. I have only left the house two times. For a doctor visit each time and then immediately home.

One thing very noticeable is that you have fewer friends as you age. They die or move away. I sometimes feel I am the grandfather of the Chart Room. I am one of the few long timers left.

My doctors bother me in one respect. I have a few minor problems that should be corrected. No one wants to operate on me. Anesthesia the problem. Seems to kill people at my age.

Another thing is what doctors tell me when I want answers to what is bothering me. They tell me the same thing that they told my father: You have outlived the books.

Should be encouraging. Not.

When abortion first became an issue, I was anti-abortion. My thoughts have since changed. Not the point, however.

One of my concerns then was if we permit the killing of the young (I believe a fetus is life) today, society will permit the killing of the old tomorrow. Tomorrow has arrived and I am one of the old. And society and medicine do occasionally talk about the elderly being expendable in certain cases.

I am not interested in taking a pill at a certain age so others can live.

Research and writing have kept me going. I am mentally alert and sharp. Every day in my 14 years of retirement, I research and write. The blog every day. A couple of books. Working on 3 others I never seem to finish.

I sincerely believe that were I not involved so much with reading and writing I might be sitting in a wheel chair in a nursing home with my tongue hanging out.

I have been a failure at exercise. I used to run and walk. Two to three miles a day for years. Cross country skied every evening after work for years.

Now, nothing. Not healthy I know. The desire, urge has left me over the years. Bothers me especially since my grandfather and father were big walkers for years. Three to five miles a day.

Time brings with it changes. I have tried to keep up. Believe I have done pretty good. The computer an example. I might add I consider the computer THE invention of my generation. The internet can only be described as wow! The biggest things since the industrial revolution.

I hope I bored you not!

Enjoy your day!

Trump’s Fourth of July speech yesterday a failure. Lies, misrepresentations, innuendos, and pure ordinary bullshit do not make for a patriotic endeavor.

The speech included a defense of “American heroes,” an attack on the Chinese, and an attack on the media. Trump tried to highlight what he views as the shared “great” heritage of Americans.

He called for “unity.” Claimed the country is defeating the “radical left.” He emphasized “protecting and defending” the American way of life.

Always quick to pass the buck, blame another, part of Trump’s China attack included blaming China for coronavirus. In addition, he blamed increased testing for the increased number of confirmed cases.

The speech was not very American. In fact, left me feeling a bit dirty by its end.

A July 4 Presidential Address should leave the citizenry feeling as if they were listening to the song America. Patriotic. The opening stanza a reflection of goodness: “My country, ’tis of thee, / Sweet land of liberty, / Of thee I sing; / Land where my fathers died, / Land of the pilgrims’ pride, / From every mountainside / Let freedom ring!”

An abolitionist version of America was written by A.G. Duncan in 1843. Its second stanza exemplary truth: “My native country, thee, / Where all men are born free, if white’s their skin; / I love thy hills and dales, / Thy mounts and pleasant vales; / But hate thy negro sales, as foulest sin.”

There was a July 4 White House celebration which resulted in the death of a President. President Zachary Taylor in 1850.

I am not sure of the significance, but the Washington Monument was under construction at the time. The celebration might have been held at the construction site rather than the White House.

President Taylor consumed water and raw fruit. Five days later, he died from a gastrointestinal illness that historians believe was cholera. Cholera the result of ingesting infected water and/or fruit.

Trump always needs a particular group of people to vilify. In fact, to ride to election victory.

In 2016, it was immigrants. This year, other Americans.

Trump claims the burning of the American flag before the White House this weekend was organized by radical leftists. Far right leftist. Two groups. The Revolutionary Communist Party and Refuse Fascism.

May be true. I don’t know. What I do know is whether true or not, it is Trump trying to improperly paint all liberals as radical leftists. In this case, communists and perhaps fascists.

A statue of Christopher Columbus was taken down and thrown into Baltimore Harbor saturday night. A statue of Jeffrey Epstein mysteriously appeared outside the Albuquerque City Hall over the weekend. It was removed within 24 hours.

When does this crap stop?

Florida is close to being #1 in coronavirus outbreaks. Presently #2.

The reason Florida’s numbers are increasing dramatically is the actions of our inept Governor De Santis. Trump’s lap dog. He does everything Trump wants or suggests. Ergo, De Santis has been as successful as Trump in fighting the virus.

Yesterday, Florida had 11,458 new coronavirus cases. A new one day high!

Things are moving swiftly. Florida is up to 190,052 confirmed cases, 3,803 which resulted in death.

I want to say something rarely mentioned. The last war the U.S. won was World War II. We have not won any wars in which the U.S. has been engaged since.

The ending of the Vietnam War especially bothered me. The world watched its last days on television.

The last day was April 30, 1975. We all watched the last group of Americans airlifted off the roof of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon. While on the ground, North Vietnamese forces were in effect reaching the gates of the Embassy.

Embarrassing. The most powerful nation on earth being brought to its knees by a tiny Asian country.

The last 18 hours found 81 helicopters landing on the Embassy roof and removing 6,000 civilians  and more than 1,000 Americans to safety.

Baby feeding not a major problem today. A mother can try breast feeding if she so desires. If she cannot produce sufficient milk, the solution is at the super market. Canned formula.

A baby is never left crying from hunger.

Not the way it was in 1855 in Key West.

William Hackley’s wife Matilda had given birth. Breast feeding was the mode of the day. She could not produce enough. The baby would cry half the day and night.

The solution in Hackley’s day was goat milk. Get your own goat and milk it.

By July 3, 1855, Hackley had bought or rented 2 different goats from 2 different sources.The goats were as barren as Matilda. Hackley was desperate. He sent to Havana for a goat. A few days between the order and receiving the goat.

The baby continued crying. William and Matilda continued walking the floor.

On July 4, Matilda’s nipples began suffering from the baby munching so hard on them. Hackley went to South Beach to get some Bay Cider for Matilda’s breasts.

Very sorrowful canned formula was not available back then.

May Johnson’s life remains in good stead in July 1896. The 20 year old Key West school teacher is living life. Respectfully.

July 3, 1896 must have been a day of rest. Very little done. May and her girl friends weighed themselves. May came in at 124 1/2 pounds.

July 4 was another story! Independence Day! America was celebrating. May and Key West were celebrating.

May has a strange relationship. Her “love” is Ernest. He rarely is in Key West. Works in Miami. They correspond. May’s last letter to Ernest 17 pages.

May goes dancing almost every day however at La Brisa. Never dances with one. Dances with many. For hours.

She began July 4 by writing to Ernest.

The Battleship Maine was in harbor. A reception was scheduled on the Maine. May and her friends were invited.

May wrote, “We went all over the ship.”

She claims she made a “dead smash” on Mr. Ward, claiming, “My! He is so handsome.”

I assume a “dead smash” is a kiss.

The Maine visit ended with May and her friends returning to shore by boat. The boys were “much drunk, Ugh!”

She described her Fourth as “gloriously grand, much Fourth, Ah!”

She concluded her diary entry advising “she came to bed at 12 o’clock.” Significant because I do not recall her ever mentioning such a late bed time before.

Key West cancelled its annual White Street Pier fireworks because of the virus. My neighborhood had its own.

Seems like my neighbors in every direction had fireworks. They went off constantly for 3 hours.

I never went out to watch. Too many people on the street.

Today, Sunday. Will be a typical one for me. As it has been for more than 3 months. Staying in to avoid the virus.

I am getting through this time with actually no difficulty. Thank God I enjoy researching and writing. Otherwise, I might be a basket case.

Enjoy your Sunday!

God bless America! Two hundred forty four years old today. It was on this day in 1776 that the Declaration of Independence was signed whereby we declared our independence from Great Britain.

Except for the Civil War era, July 4 was a happy day. Partying, parades, etc. Last year a relatively normal one, also.

Not this year.

The scab has fallen off, the wound is open again. Race relations.

My positions on the various issues are known. Set forth in detailed fashion in recent blogs. Today, I wish only to make 2 observations.

The blacks believe it is their time. To all appearances, it seems like they want to take over. Their time to run things.

The U.S. has a population approximately 76 percent white. Includes Hispanics who make up 12 percent of the white population. Remove the Hispanics, and the whites still are the major group with 64 percent.

Blacks constitute 13 percent.

How can a group decide it is their time to rule when they have no where near the numbers required to be the majority group? Equality, yes. Rule, no.

Observation two is the coronavirus epidemic. It is screwing everything up. Race a legitimate part of the issue from the virus perspective. The problems must be corrected. Blacks are entitled to the same assistance and concerns as whites. They have not been getting it.

Trump is not helping. He is screwing everything up by his lack of handling the pandemic in a proper fashion.

Today is the holiday! I wish you each a Happy Fourth knowing full well it cannot be because of the race and health problems confronting our nation.

Idiocy continues to reign supreme! The GOP is reportedly eyeing Tucker Carlson for the 2024 Presidential run. He is as bad as Trump, if not worse. Lies equally as well.

The reason Carlson is under serious consideration is that his FOX news show is the most watched cable news program in history.

Would you believe!

Donald was at Mount Rushmore yesterday. Probably thinking how great it would be if his face were sculptured on the side of the mountain.

He spoke to 7,500, all closely seated. Very few face masks.

Nearby Native Americans were upset Trump was to appear. They asked he not do so.

The tribes fear a coronavirus spike among its members. They had done well up to this time.

One of the tribal leaders said the “President is putting our tribal members at risk to stage a photo op at one of our most sacred sites.”

Trump spewed his usual poison during his speech. Like “the left wing cultural revolution is designed to overthrow the American revolution.” Some on the political left hope to “defame out heroes, erase our values, and culture to be taken from them…..Our children are taught in school to hate their own country.” The left represents “far left fascism.”

This past week Trump questioned Biden’s mental capabilities. Claimed he would fail or not do as well as Trump did on the congenitive/dementia test given as part of a physical.

Trump claimed he “aced” it.

You would have to be an idiot not to. The test is the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Tests for early signs of dementia. Part of most annual physicals. I have been taking it for years.

The test requires all of 10 minutes.

Simplicity permeates.

Things like identifying 3 animals in a picture, asked to relate why certain things are common, draw a clock with the hands at 11:10, repeat 5 words 3 different times, etc.

Glad you “aced” it  Mr. President. I would not expect less from you or any President.

Chechnya is a southern Russian republic. The scene of a horrifying humanitarian crisis. The site of a social cleansing. A place where terror reigns supreme for LGBTQ people.

Since 2017, the government has been trying to exterminate all gay people. A state sanctioned purge.

Putin is directing the human destruction.

Trump is fully aware. Trump has failed to speak about or criticize the situation.

Outright killings on the streets. Also, family honor killings of lesbian females.

Forget Trump for the moment. No one in Washington is talking about this slaughter either.

The blacks are deprecating John Wayne, also. He was known to speak strongly about problems similar to those confronting us today. His feelings anti-black in a sensitive fashion. Made his position clear, however.

Another part of Wayne to be shared are his religious beliefs.

He was born and raised a Presbyterian, believed in God, and occasionally taught the Bible.

Wayne was known to hand write letters to God as a way of praying. He refused to take part in movies he thought were immoral, even during the times film immorality was on the rise and acceptance.

He died on his deathbed at home from cancer. Two days before he died, he converted to Catholicism.

I don’t know what all this means. I am merely sharing another part of John Wayne with you.

A bit of Keys news and information.

The lobster mini season is the last wednesday and thursday of July. Islamorada is asking the County and State to cancel the event. To close all of the Keys. In an attempt to further protect against coronavirus.

A good idea. Visitors come to the Keys in droves to lobster fish those 2 days. I used to sit on my dock in Key Haven and watch them. Reminded me of that scene in Jaws where everyone went out to capture the shark. Big boats, little boats, in between size boats. Boats overloaded with people.

A bit of history. Monroe County was the sixth county established in Florida. June 3, 1823.

Way back when.

Florida not even a state. The county established by the territorial legislature, signed by Governor William P. Duval.

Dengue fever is on the rise in the Key Largo area. It comes around some where in the Keys every few years.

Someone recently asked in Citizens’ Voice: “Now that dengue fever is rising, will Key West require that we all wrap in mosquito netting when we go outside?”

A little humor never hurt!

Cocktails at 7 last night with Cathy in Seattle. Skype works wonders for a person like me quarantined now for over 100 days.

Made a friend over the internet early on. Cathy used to live in Key est in the 1980’s.

We now get together one night a week for 2 or 3 hours. Sort of like a date. We chat away. Cathy drinks alcohol, I diet soda.

She told me last night she was having a cook out at her house today with 2 friends. You are aware I have two lesbian wives. Donna and Terri. Cathy has gay husbands. Two, also. One colored and blind. Terri is colored and blind.

How very unusual! I would like to put together a Skype party for all of us.

A well liked and respected American died yesterday. Hugh Downs. Newscaster and announcer. Ninety nine years old. Died from natural causes.

One of the greats in television news casting.

Enjoy your holiday!

Busy morning ahead. Today #113 of my self-quarantine. Will be leaving the house for only the second time. Do not like it. However, I have no choice. The body is reacting to my normal pre-coronavirus problems. Need medical updating.

Ergo, a Morning Stew.

Tom Friedman had an excellent Opinion piece on 6/30/2020 in the New York Times: This Should Be Biden’s Bumper Sticker.

“Respect science, respect nature, respect each other.”

Fitting.

Friedman begins with “We’re not leading. We’re not following. We’re lost.”

Friedman wrote Trump has changed things dramatically. He has created a different pandemic. “A pandemic of incivility. You cannot exaggerate the impact on the whole civil cultures of having a President who has elevated name-calling, denigration and lying to a central feature of his Presidency, amplified by the White House.”

Friedman believes Biden “will need a simpler, clear message to counter Trump’s “Make America Great Again.”

Friedman’s idea for such a bumper sticker is a slogan that came to his attention when he recently read an article by the environmental innovator Hal Harvey. The one mentioned at the beginning…..Respect service, respect nature, respect each other.

I wrote a blog recently titled “I Don’t Get No Respect.” Featured was Rodney Dangerfield.

I received a comment yesterday from a Dale. He had read Friedman’s article of 6/30. He thought a proper Trump bumper sticker would be Dangerfield’s famous line as I had reported it: I Don’t Get No Respect.”

That is the way it has become. No one has done Trump in. He is doing it to himself.

The sign at the entrance to Bahama Village on Petronia Street is down. Under repair. Being sanded and repainted.

Ernest Hemingway purportedly killed himself this day in 1961 at his Idaho home. He is reported to have blown his brains out with a double-barreled 12 gauge shot gun.

Most thought a suicide. Some, not.

Bolstering the suicide theory was that Hemingway had become plagued with an inability to write. He lost it. Could not put even an acceptable sentence together.

He was also suffering at the time from acute depression.

It should be recalled that suicide ran in the family. His father, grandfather, brother, sister, and a granddaughter had committed suicide.

Key West has geared up this past week preparing for the July 4 weekend. Thirty six banners are being raised on Duval Street. The hanging will be complete today. Each reminding tourists to wear masks.

A thoughtful move. Every little bit helps. Add to it that the beaches and bars will be closed.

I hope that no tourists or visitors arrive for the weekend. Things are bad coronavirus wise in Florida. Key West numbers have had a dramatic increase to 88.

We do not need anyone. Our sole purpose should be to protect ourselves.

Yesterday was a bad day number wise for new coronavirus cases nationally Yesterday’s one day total the highest ever: In excess of 50,000. The fifth time in the last 8 days that the number has been the “highest ever.”

Florida a major contributor. Primarily because of our inept Governor DeSantis who blindly follows Trump.

On February 27, Trump said the virus would “disappear.” He said it again yesterday.

He doesn’t learn. Donald is doing real good. The U.S. is at the point of most infections and most deaths.

Even worse, Fauci announced yesterday that the number of new coronavirus cases could go as high as 100,000 per day if we continue to fail to test and wear masks.

Trump continues to lose ground in the election race. Biden moves ahead a bit more each day.

Trump and his followers do not understand. A prominent Republican said yesterday that it is being part of a “cult” to be wearing a mask.

Then there are other Republicans who see the light. Most Congressional leaders. All of a sudden, they were all over television yesterday. Their mantra…..Stay safe, wear masks!

The word this morning is the bounty paid by Russia for killing U.S. service men was $100,00 per. Sounds awful big! Hard to believe on first impression. I thought when the bounty news first broke maybe $100 or $200.

However $100,000 could be. Small change if Putin could make the U.S. look bad.

One reason coronavirus is beating us is that we have no national strategy to fight it. No battle plan. It was Trump and the federal government who should have led. Covid-19 a national calamity of major proportions.

Trump failed. Why, I cannot understand.

My notes next indicate that as of yesterday, Monroe County had 270 new confirmed cases of the virus, Key West 89. For each, the highest number thus far.

I expect the numbers to continue to rise. The fault lying with the barricades coming down and bar and business reopenings permitted. Blame it all on the greed of certain businessmen and merchants who valued money over health.

May Johnson’s day in 1896 interesting. This 20 year old school teacher lets no grass grow under her feet.

She wrote a 17 page letter to “her darling.” Then she was off to La Brisa to dance and party.

La Brisa had to be a big time fun place. May is there almost every day while her love is on the mainland working.

President James Garfield was shot this day in 1881 at the train station in Washington, D.C. He died more than 2 months later.

A “nut” by the name of Guiteau was the assassin. He was tried, convicted, and hung in 1882.

I wrote a lengthy article some time ago either in this blog or KONK Life. Garfield died because the doctors screwed up. They killed him.

A true story.

I will search for the article later today. If I can find it, will rerun it tomorrow. That interesting!

Enjoy your day!

Remember, this all started with blacks wanting to topple statues of Confederate Generals. Then moved on to other whites who had slaves or maltreated blacks in any fashion. Like Christopher Columbus, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Theodore Roosevelt to name a few.

How far does this black lets get ’em thing go? At the moment, even Abraham Lincoln is under consideration. Over the weekend, students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison made it known they wanted Lincoln’s statue on their campus removed. The black group leading the movement recognize Lincoln was anti-slavery. He was not “pro-black,” however.

How far does this insanity go?

Jesus Christ has entered the fray. Even God is not beyond reproach.

Historians generally believe Jesus was a Palestinian Jew. As such, He would have been a person of color. His eyes probably not blue nor his hair yellow.

The Jesus Americans know is the European idealization of Him. They were white so Jesus had to be white. Such followed those who immigrated to the U.S.

Some universities and scholars have investigated and continue to explore the concept of a black Jesus. All that do agree Jesus was a man of color.

The black movement has moved into the Church. Not as yet with the same rigor it has with other statues and monuments. What may have to go is the white Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Their statues and pictures. Murals on the walls . Glass windows depicting them as white.

All replaced by the truth: A black Jesus with a black family.

Some countries represent Jesus as having been colored. Certain African ones understandably.

Those seeking to bring the true Jesus to the forefront believe it is necessary for two reasons. First, a white Jesus is a Jesus connected to the powerful and not the oppressed. Second, the impression conveyed by a white Jesus and a white God is authority is white.

Twenty years ago, the NCR celebrated the new millennium by sponsoring an art contest. The winner was a Janet McKenzie. Her portrait painted Jesus as a person “dark, thick-lipped, looking out on us with ineffable dignity, with sadness but with confidence.”

A black Jesus the winner!

In 2007, the novel The Shack was published. One of the finest novels written. I bought 30 copies and mailed them to friends. Wanted to share my discovery with them.

The Shack was a best seller. A movie made based on it.

The uniqueness of the novel is that it portrayed the three persons of the Trinity living in a shack, friendly and helpful to all.

God was a fat black woman. Jesus a dark Middle Eastern Jew with a large hooked nose. The Holy Ghost, referred to as the Spirit in the book, a frail Asian woman.

I recommend the book be read.

Note that in The Shack God and Jesus are persons of color. Even the Holy Spirit who is Asian.

The underlying question in today’s blog is how far does the black movement go in changing historical things.

Another entity to consider are cities themselves which prohibited blacks from staying at most hotels in days gone by.

Back when, Miami was such a city. Hotels in Miami Beach had signs: No Blacks or Jews.

Perhaps the black movement should consider recommending that people of color not visit those cities nor do business with them. Proper retribution.

The Key West City Commission got blown away this past week. Re an item of major concern. Rising sea levels.

The Army Corps of Engineers did a major 3 year study of how it will be and what should be done to avoid its impact. The projection is that sea level around the Keys will rise by 15 feet. Big!

The cost the mind blower. To correct in advance costly. Like $3.8 billion. Sixty five percent would be paid by the federal government, 35 percent from non-federal sources.

Key West does not have that kind of money! No way! The Commissioners know it and expressed it. Note Key West’s annual budget (general fund) is $60 million. Where would the money come from? Impossible for Key West to pay its share.

The Commission laid the matte aside for further study.

The $3.8 billion would be spent as follows. To build 6 revetments (concrete retaining walls) along U.S. 1, elevate 7,100 structures in the county as a whole, flood proof another 3,800 structures, and acquire by eminent domain 280 houses not considered salvageable when future floodings occur.

Personalities are resulting in in-house fighting in certain cities re how to handle coronavirus protections. Los Angeles an example.

Los Angeles closed its beaches for the Fourth of July weekend. The Sheriff will not enforce the ruling. Says no one consulted him before making the determination. Also, his department’s philosophy is “Care first, jail last.”

Would you believe? Elected and appointed officials who cannot work together to protect the people.

A failure of responsibility.

One of cinema’s greatest stars of yesteryear is Olivia de Havilland. Today, her birthday. One hundred four years old. God bless her!

She starred in 49 pictures, including, Gone With the Wind, Robin Hood, The Heiress, To Each His Own, Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte, Captain Blood, and The Snake Pit.

Stay healthy! Do what you are supposed to do. Hopefully we can all go to the beach , socialize in the bars, and enjoy barbecues with family and friends next July 4th.

Enjoy your day!

My self-quarantine took a reluctant brief break this morning. Day 110. Only for an hour. A doctor visit.

Doctor appointments frequent at my age. It has been more than 3 months since my last. Doctor’s office called to reschedule me. I said no, not yet. The nurse said, yes.

Two appointments made. One for blood work. The other to get the blood results and have a physical. The blood work this morning. Physical next week.

I hated leaving the house. I was not comfortable. I have self-quarantined because I am an excellent choice for the coronavirus to visit. Over 80 and other ailments.

Appointment at 8.

I still knew how to drive a car. I enjoyed the drive downtown. I had not been in Key West proper in 3 months. Saw how Cow Key Bridge was coming. Little traffic into downtown.

I arrived at 7:50. I was the only patient. Me and the nurse who was going to draw my blood. I was done and out at 8. Since I was out, thought I should take a look at Duval.

Duval shocking! Roughly 35 percent of the stores empty. Nothing inside. One a business that had been on Duval for more than 20 years. Gone!

One whole block of Duval on one side empty.

Went to Whitehead. A small block across from the Custom House empty. Perhaps 3 stores formerly.

Very few people on the streets. Not the time for people. Too early.

Drove to the Southernmost Point. About 20 in line. Tourists, I assume. No social distancing and no masks.

Drove through the Casa Marina area to Flagler to head home. Something else was obvious. Many high end homes for sale. Saw that also when driving down the Boulevard. Several for sale signs at the entrance to an area of fine homes.

An indication prices will drop. Both for sales and rentals. More radically than 2008. This is only the beginning.

I was home by 8:45. I enjoyed walking from where I park the car to my house. The air smelled good. It was the firs time I had smelled fresh air in over 3 months.

I was a good boy. Wore my mask and gloves.

Will have to make a similar trip next week. I must be frank. I am not comfortable leaving my home.

Coronavirus cases are moving upward in Monroe County and Key West itself. I attribute it to reopening too soon and taking down the barricades at the entrance to U.S. 1.

The cause is being dealt with in a limited fashion.

The police and Codes are out making sure the rules are followed. First time a serious effort. From what the Citizen reports, they seem to be doing an effective job.

Bars a continuing problem. Drinking outside the bar, also. Permitting too many people in a business an additional problem.

Written warnings being given. Second time a citation to go to court.

A pool room on Flagler had more than 50 percent occupancy. Police and Codes warned staff and patrons. Police and Codes returned 1/2 hour later. Still overcrowding. Two $500 citations were issued.

Key West announced all beaches will be closed for the July 4th weekend. Good!

Hope it keeps mainland people from coming down. Mostly young. Follow none of the rules.

The County controls whether barricades will be erected again to keep non-Keys residents out. It helped to keep the virus numbers down.

The businessmen of Key West got pissed off. The barricades were removed 2 weeks ago. The numbers going up since.

County Administrator says no decision made yet re the barricades. However, he thought they would not go back up.

The numbers are important when determining what precautions are to be taken. New cases total 236. The numbers are spiraling upward. Yesterday 17 new cases. A one day record.

I wrote in yesterdays blog re Abraham Lincoln. Whether he was a racist? Whether his statues, etc. should be taken down?

I thought many of my readers would be up in arms. Haven’t heard so far. However, I did come across an interesting article in The Blaze on the internet this morning.

The Black Student Union at the University of Wisconsin-Madison wants the towering statue of Lincoln on campus to be removed. The group acknowledges Lincoln was anti-slavery, but claim he wasn’t pro-black: “He was…..very publicly anti-Black. Just because he was anti-slavery does not mean he was pro-Black.”

The student group views Lincoln as a symbol of racism.

Howdy Doody, Buffalo Bob and Clarabell may be the next to be attacked for racism.

Howdy Doody was a famous radio show. Then a major TV show. A kid’s show. Even older kid’s watched it. The show’s theme runs through my head even to this day.

When I was in college, most of us rushed to the game room at 5 to watch the Howdy Doody Show. We used to sing the theme song along with the show’s members.

Buffalo Bob: Says “What time is it? / Kids: “It’s Howdy Doody time!”

“It’s Howdy Doody time. / It’s Howdy Doody time. / Bob Smith and Howdy too / Say howdy to you. / Let’s give a rousing cheer, / Cause Howdy Doody’s here, / It’s time to start the show. / So kids let’s go!”

The show had a “peanut gallery.” Young children appeared on the show daily and sat in the peanut gallery.

The peanut gallery could rise to the level of racism.

The situation is sort of like white men going black faced in minstrel shows.

The term peanut gallery is black derived. Concerned vaudeville shows. Blacks could not afford good seats. They sat in the cheapest. They ate peanuts while watching the show. If they disliked an entertainer, they heckled and threw peanuts at the person.

Peanut gallery was born. Howdy Doody had both the peanut gallery and the peanuts.

In addition, the term “hecklers” is black derived. The blacks watching the vaudeville show and throwing the peanuts came to be known as hecklers.

A significant issue has arisen. The claim that Russia paid Afghanistans a bounty to kill American soldiers. Standing alone, important. More important perhaps is whether Trump knew and what he did about it.

I believe the usual Trump/Putin scenario took place. Trump asked Putin if he did it and Putin very strongly denied. At some point Trump will tell the American people that he asked Putin and Putin denied. The issue was closed as far as he was concerned.

What does Putin have that gives him such control over Trump? Must be sex or money.

Trump made visits to Russia many times before his election. The issue keeps popping up that Putin has photos of Trump engaging in sex games with a prostitute.

Trump did business big time with Russian banks. Whether he or his family still do, I do not know. There is a suspicion the Trumps owe money big time to Russian banks. Most Russian banks are government owned.

Who knows what the reason. Time will tell.

I heard an interesting comment on a TV talk show last night. Something to the effect that the person who owes money to a bookie, is always nice to the bookie.

Biden is making a speech this afternoon in Wilmington, Delaware. It is reported he will say as part of the speech that Trump calls himself a war time President, but is surrendering to the virus.

How true!

No matter how you cut it, the Chinese are one smart people! They cheat and get away with it. Enterprising!

Wuhan is part of the story.

It has been revealed that China is the home of  massive gold bar counterfeiting. Wuhan one of the cities where they are turned out.

Gold is valuable collateral. Counterfeit gold not. It has been described as “ghost collateral.”

In recent years, China has made 83 tons of phony gold bars which have been used as bank collateral. The banks are stuck!

The counterfeiting is done in one of two ways. Either gold plated copper or gold plated black tungsten plate.

Amazing!

Tonight my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time.

So much to talk about. I never get to cover it all.

Join me for a quick moving and interesting half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

Abraham Lincoln was not Simon pure when it came to blacks.

The issue as to whether Lincoln was a racist is one oft discussed among historians. He was in his early days. The Civil War moved him towards freeing the slaves. His reasons for so doing not necessarily from an honorable perspective. Rather, based on the practicalities of a situation. Lincoln was an expert politician.

Early in his life he favored abolition. However, he was opposed to racial equality. For the reason the black man did not possess the same mental attributes of a white. The black man was inferior.

By the end of he Civil War, Lincoln was on an upward arc, perhaps heading toward becoming the man he has since been mythologized as being: The Great Emancipator, the man who freed and loved the slaves. His journey however was not complete on the day he died.

Lincoln was still wrestling with race when he died.

Lincoln’s early public position re slavery was clearly spelled out in the 4th of his debates with Stephen Douglas in 1858 in their Senatorial race which Lincoln lost: “I will say that I am not, nor have ever been, in favor of bringing in any way the social and political equality of the black and white races.”

He followed with he opposed blacks having the right to vote, to serve on juries, to hold office, and to intermarry with whites.

He concluded his speech with: “I will say in addition to this there is a physical difference between the black and white races which I believe will forever forbid the two races from living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they remain together there must be a position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race.”

Lincoln at the time was no different than most white males, whether living in the north or south. He was a white supremacist.

Some other quotes of Lincoln symbolizing his thoughts at various times in his life.

“I have urged the colonization of the Negroes [in Africa], and I shall continue.”

“I can conceive of no greater calamity than the assimilation of the Negro into our social and political life as an equal.”

“Within 20 years we can peacefully colonize the Negro…..under conditions in which he can rise to the full measure of manhood. This he can never do here. We can never attain the ideal union our fathers dreamed, with millions of an alien, inferior race among us, whose assimilation is neither possible nor desirable.”

Politics always seem to play a part in major decisions. Each side having their respective leaders.

Lincoln was a believer of colonization. Send the blacks to Africa or Central America to live and govern themselves.

Lincoln called black leaders to a White House meeting in 1852. He pushed colonization big time. The black leaders were adamant in their opposition. Lincoln argued that given the “differences” between the two races and the hostile attitude of whites towards black people, it would be “better for us both, therefore to be segregated.”

The blacks refused to be swayed by Lincoln’s argument. They argued African-Americans were as much natives of the United States as white people, and thus deserved the same rights.

Lincoln gave up re colonization. Never spoke of it again.

Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation the following year in 1863.

Most Americans today are under the impression the Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves per se. All of them! It did not.

Lincoln was a war President. He knew the South needed the help of the slaves to successfully carry on the War. Two primary reasons. The South needed the slaves to raise the food to feed Confederate soldiers. Additionally, the Confederacy had begun to absorb slaves into the Confederate Army to fight against the Union.

Lincoln sought to solve the problem by issuing the Emancipation Proclamation which freed slaves only in a limited fashion. It freed those still living in Confederate states and those fighting in the Confederate Army.

Evidence reflects how tightly the Emancipation Proclamation was drawn to solely accomplish the two items. Any black Confederate soldiers who had been captured by the Union did not receive freedom from slavery.

In the next two years, many blacks fled the South to fight for the Union. Two hundred thousand. By the time the War ended in 1865, Lincoln was very much impressed with how these blacks had fought.

Lincoln felt the slaves had earned their freedom by their bravery. Something legal was required since the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation did not take into account “all” slaves. The Thirteenth Amendment would and did. It was the instrument by which all slaves were freed.

Lincoln approved the Joint Resolutions of Congress which authorized the Thirteenth Amendment on January 1, 1865. Ratification by State Legislatures was required to make it part of the Constitution.

Ratification unfortunately did not come till 18 months after Lincoln was killed. It did however free all slaves thereby earning Lincoln the title of Great Emancipator.

The task was not complete. Perhaps if Lincoln had lived we would not be in the position we are with present day black/white conflicts.

Historians are not sure how much further Lincoln would have pushed the black/white issue had he lived. Therein lies the reason no one knows what Lincoln’s final thoughts were with regard to social and political equality.

So it was.

Do sufficient grounds exist to topple Lincoln’s statues and disparage his accomplishments? Though he accomplished much for the black man, his contrary words and feelings may have been greater and bury the good he did.

What of those who did much less in an anti-black fashion than Lincoln? If Lincoln stands, should they not be resurrected to stand again?

It all comes down to what is to be the standard, if any, by which these decisions are to be made.

Enjoy your day!