I fear we are into an American uprising. In only 9 days. A mere beginning, the situation has become a swiftly moving one. Volatile. I pray it does not reach the ultimate and turn into a shooting confrontation.

Do not say it could not. It definitely can. Look how far our country has come in only 9 days. Events leading up to this situation prior to the 9 days, not part of the serious physical confrontation which awaits. Our country is in a non-physical confrontation 365 days a year.

The humvees yesterday in Washington suggest that which is to come. Reminds me of the Hungarian Revolution in the 1950’s. Serious and not serious the first few days. From empty beer bottles being thrown to actual gun shooting to the Russian tanks coming into town. The tanks were the end of the revolution. Many had to escape in order to avoid death.

The troops standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial yesterday of concern also. Why?

Trump claimed the first day that vandals had marked up Lincoln. Nothing heard from Trump since nor anyone else claiming they viewed the vandalism.

Yet yesterday, the military in huge numbers were protecting the Lincoln Memorial.

Trump going pro-religion suddenly. The picture of him standing in front of St. John Episcopal Church holding a Bible in hand. There is a similar photo making its way through the internet this morning of Hitler in the same pose Bible in hand. No question, the two are birds of a feather.

Another reason I fear a shooting confrontation is that the protesters are not backing off. In fact, they add something new to the protesting each day to keep the authorities off base.

Trump will go a step too far and the protesters will retaliate. And then it will be a revolution. A shooting one.

A gentleman on TV yesterday said, “My America changed.”

I do not have his name. His story as told by him yesterday on national TV interesting. Reveals also how persons not participating in the protests may be thinking.

The man lives close to the White House. On a street the other side of Lafayette Square. His home in an affluent area. About 50. Articulate.

His home a series of steps leading to a leveled area behind which is the front door. He was standing outside in front of the door watching the protesters running down the street past his home. They were running from the horses, tear gas, rubber bullets and flash grenades.

Somehow the protesters had been turned down his street. He looked ahead and saw military waiting at the end of the block for them to arrive.

The whole thing did not look right to him. He says all he could think at that moment was “my America changed.”

Suddenly a couple of the protesters asked if they could enter his home. Escape into his home. He said yes and then permitted anyone to enter. Waving them on to come inside his home.

Seventy made it.

The horsemen and other authorities came and placed themselves before his home. Insisting they come out. He refused to let them out. None wanted to leave.

It was obvious the 70 would be staying overnight. Food became an issue. Pizzas were ordered delivered. Arrangements were made for the pizzas to come in through a back alley so the authorities would not confiscate their meal.

The seventy slept in the man’s house. He said anywhere a bare spot on the floor could be found.

When the seventy left the next morning, the authorities were gone.

His America changed for him. It is changing for many of us. Where and how will it end?

A significant happening which could influence the outcome of the confrontations is whether Americans will shoot at Americans. Those on horseback, in the military, etc. They are all Americans. Different nationalities, color and whatever. The protesters the same as them.

I cannot believe in the final analysis that American will shoot at Americans. No matter what orders given by whom, including the President.

Already leaks in the dike are appearing. Some policemen kneeling with protesters. Yesterday, a Chief of Police.

Los Angeles the best reflection of my thoughts in this regard so far.

Keke Palmer is a woman of color and a popular TV host. She asked a whole contingency of National Guard to march with the protesters. They said they could not. They could not leave the intersection they were guarding.

She then asked them to kneel with her and the protesters. All of the National Guard, each and every one, kneeled!

Keke’s words leading up to the mass kneeling: “Stand together with the community, with society to stop, stop the governmental oppression.”

My sense monday when Trump stood in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church bible in hand was that he was trying to firm up his evangelical base.

It appears to becoming a religious base at the moment. Yesterday, Trump and Melania went to the Shrine of Pope John Paul II. Left a wreath of flowers. Pictures taken, of course.

The Archbishop of Washington is black. He chastised Trump for bringing religion, and specifically the Catholic religion, into the fight. Just as the Episcopalian Bishop had chastised Trump the day before  for his photo op in front of St. John’s.

I do not believe Trump is actually going to further visit churches of other denominations for a photo op or anything else. I share with you now something I briefly wrote about 2-3 months ago.

Remember Steve Bannon? A Trump supporter at the beginning. Close to the President. Trump eventually fired Bannon because, if I recall correctly, he appeared on the cover of Time Magazine. A no no if one is affiliated with Trump. All publicity goes to the Leader.

Bannon was a huge influence on Trump before, during and after the campaign. His sole intention and goal in life is to upset existing governments. He wants to change who runs and influences society. In many instances, change merely for the sake of change.

The man a bit of a nut. Though a smart one.

Bannon has spent the past 2 years involved with the Vatican and the Catholic Church. He wants to change things within the Church. From the Pope down.

The Catholic Church is split. Liberal and conservative. Bannon has become a huge influence with the conservatives. From Cardinals down.

He has been instrumental in making Pope Francis’ life difficult.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is the far right conservative arm of the Church. Its membership active and retired Bishops and other members of the Catholic hierarchy.

The organization’s offices are in Washington. It is a significant lobbying arm for the organization’s beliefs.

The Bishops’ organization and Bannon walk hand in hand.

Bannon and Trump became “friends” again about 2 years ago. I sense this friendship influencing Trump’s visit to Pope John Paul’s shrine yesterday.

So much to write about. I am trying to limit what I write not to what has occurred. You can get that off TV and the internet. What I do try to share are my thoughts concerning these happenings.

Tonight, Cocktails at 7 with Cathy in Seattle. Seattle is having its protest problems. The conversation this evening  should be especially interesting.

Enjoy your day!

Live long enough, you will see it all.

I never expected to see what I did yesterday. Federal law enforcement agents riding horses into a crowd of peaceful protesters. The federal agents actually U.S. Park Rangers.

As they forceably pushed back peaceful U.S. citizens, the federal agents sprayed the peaceful group before them with flash grenades, rubber bullets, and tear gas.

They came suddenly and without warning.

The protesters ran before the oncoming horsemen in an effort to avoid them.

Reminded me of a similar scene early in Zhivago. The affluent were partying/dancing. Wintertime. Protesters at one end of the street. Not yet revolutionaries. The revolution had not yet started.

The Czar’s soldiers on horseback at the other end of the street, swords drawn. They ran down the protesters leaving bloodied bodies on the street.

Fortunately, it did not get that far yesterday. No one killed.

Trump had ordered the scenario to take place. He wanted to walk down the White House driveway, through Lafayette Square, to St. John’s Episcopal Church. The Church of the Presidents. The Church that some arsonist set fire to the day before. Fortunately, confined only to the basement area.

The Church windows were boarded. Trump stood in front holding up a Bible. Upside down, by the way.

Horses running down U.S. citizens and using flash grenades, etc., so Trump could have a photo shoot! Horrible! The photos probably to suck up to his Episcopal base.

The two clerics who pastor St. John’s were interviewed afterwards. Neither had anything good to say about what Trump had done. It did not make sense to them.

Earlier in the day, Trump had a telephone conference with certain governors. Governors of states where protesting had been ongoing for several days.

Trump in effect was suggesting the governors were weak. They lacked the fortitude to stand up to the protesters.

Trump was upset that the governors were permitting the protesters to “dominate the streets.” He said they should “increase the use of national guard units…..increase law enforcement….send in the national guard!”

Some governors later reported the President was shouting. “Ranting” a term used. Some described Trump as “losing it.”

Finally he warned the governors that if they did not take care of the protester problem, he would.

Some bully! I have often thought what would happen if Trump were forced to face someone he disagreed with face to face. He would crumble!

In order for Trump to send troops into states, he would have to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807. Used by Presidents infrequently. The last time 1992 when California’s national guard was federalized following the Rodney King trial. It was also relied upon by Eisenhower to enforce a Supreme Court anti-segregation decision in Little Rock in the 1950’s.

The Insurrection Act requires a governor to call upon the President to send in federal troops. Sort of limits Trump’s ability in the present situation.

There are exceptions. Rarely come into play. One exception is where civil rights are being violated. I do not believe it would apply where protester rights are being violated. It would be Trump and the federal government violating protester rights.

Trump does what Trump wants. Whether legal or otherwise, should Trump send federalized troops into certain cites and states, the people would not stand for it. A people can only be abused so long. They would react against Trump.

Revolution possible. The protesters knocking down the gates, overcoming those guarding the White House, breaking into the White House, and confronting Trump in the Oval Office. Then what?

Trump’s comments in the Rose Garden yesterday afternoon added fuel to the fire. Trump threatening the mobilization of “thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers.” To quell “lawlessness across the country.”

Some described Trump’s comments as describing an “ambush.”

Several times last night I was impressed to see police officers join for a few moments with the protesters. Hugging each other, kneeling, etc. A sign that not all enforcement peoples are with Trump. Last night’s embracing could grow in a short time.

Which brings me to what actually would happen were Trump to send federal troops out against the protesters. Would Americans shoot other Americans? I doubt it. Every person draws the line somewhere. In this instance, I believe the troops would. They might even join forces with the protesters.

Floyd’s family had a private autopsy performed. The private autopsy was more specific than the governmental one. No saying this and that were also found.

The autopsy report concluded the death a “homicide caused by asphyxia” due to “neck and back compression by public officers that led to a lack of blood flow to the brain” and “determined that asphyxiation from sustained pressure was the cause of death.” The 2 officers kneeling on the victim’s back “causing his lungs to compress impeded his ability to breathe.”

Social media continues to be called to task. Twitter said it would fact find Trump’s tweets from now on. Twitter has not really done so thus far.

Facebook is dancing. Zuckenberg is protecting his company from imposition of federal laws and rules that Trump might be able to impose. Such would work to the detriment of Facebook’s profit and loss statement.

Everyone has problems one time or another! It is Twitter and Facebook’s time.

The media is doing one hell of a job. A dangerous one. With one exception.

The protesters as a whole have been peaceful. A very small handful are stealing in the evening. The media spends a half hour to an hour watching the police chasing down anywhere from 1 to 6 of the thieves.

They are not the news! The news are the protesters themselves. The issues raised by them is why this whole mess is ongoing.

In many instances, it is true the police cannot be trusted. Take Louisville for example. The police were working the protest there and never turned their body cameras on. The Chief ordered them to do so. They still did not.

The Chief has been suspended. Do not know what the police officers are going to do.

Key West’s protest took place last night. A success. Hundreds in attendance. Speeches at the park in Bahama Village. Then the group moved to Duval to spread their message.

Key West slowly reopened yesterday. Too soon to tell what effect the close down will have had. How vibrant will the reopening be?

Last night not too many persons. The weekend will tell the story.

A comment in this morning’s Citizens’ Voice: “Fantasy Fest is the best idea of all if we want to wipe out the Keys entirely.”

I for one am opposed to holding Fantasy Fest this year. Sixty to eighty thousand people the night of the parade!

The virus will still be with us in the Fall.

I wear a monitor around my neck. If I fall and can’t get up, think I’ve had a heart attack, etc., I press the button on the monitor and very shortly I will first receive a call to see what happened. In the event I do not answer, the Fire Department’s emergency team arrives.

Five to 10 minutes for all this to happen.

A portion of it occurred yesterday.

I do not wear the monitor in the shower. Was going to take a shower. Threw the monitor on the bed. Very sensitive.

When I came out of the shower, I heard someone shouting Louis, Louis!

It was the emergency people.

Hope I never really need the monitor. However, I have been wearing it for a year and feel confident I will receive immediate attention should I.

Might save my life.

It’s tuesday again. My blog talk radio show tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time.

Oh, so much to talk about. I will be ranting and raving big time. Trump will have nothing on me in this regard.

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

Enjoy your day!

So many protests. Are they organized?

Seem to be.

First the major cities. All beginning the same day. Last night, smaller communities. Tonight, the smallest of communities.

For the most part calm. When intended to be disruptive, fires, looting, bashing police cars, throwing pieces of concrete, throwing bricks, etc.

Last night was upstate New York’s opportunity to protest. Why did they not protest before? Why all on the same night?

Adds to my sense of someone behind the protests. The organizing portion. Would like to know. Interested whether good seriously intended or bad guys involved.

The protests went across upstate New York. From Buffalo to Albany. Followed the New York State Thruway. Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica and Albany.

Buffalo had similar problems to those which occurred at the big city demonstrations. The other communities not so bad.

Governor Cuomo had earlier in the day sent a contingency of New York State Troopers to each of the cities.

Utica is my home town. Perhaps the calmest protest last night.

I checked it out on the internet. Photos. A huge crowd for a community of 50,000. No one raising hell. Speakers, signs and flags. An article written about the protest itself found it to be peaceful with none of the big city carnage.

Tonight may be the evening selected for the tiniest of communities. It is Key West’s turn. Key West’s time to protest.

Those protesting will meet at 6 pm at the pool in Bahama Village in the Martin Luther King Park.

The protest is labeled as one “against police brutality.”

Chairing the event is Clayton Lopez.  A community leader. Well respected for many years. A black man.

Bahama Village is considered Key West’s colored neighborhood. Not so much any more, however. Petronia Street runs right through Bahama Village. Petronia has grown commercially in recent years. Some of the finest restaurants and boutique stores.

“We got bricks!” The cry of certain protesters as they wandered the streets of the major cities. Protesters who came to complain, not do harm to person or property. Upon discovering the bricks lying in orderly fashion, the “why not” entered into the minds of some and they were off tossing them at store windows to begin.

The bricks raise the “organized” argument in my mind again. The bricks are delivered prior to a protest. Left well stacked in strategic locations on streets near high end shops. Delivered by “outsiders.”

After watching most of the protests, I have concluded the protests have a symbol. A burning police car.

I came across a terrible joke. However, it fits what has been going on: “How many cops does it take to throw a protester down a flight of stairs? None. He fell…..”

In the 3 1/2 years Trump has been President, I have developed a feeling which has grown with the passage of time. Trump has moved us closer to becoming a banana republic. In certain instances, we may have already arrived.

Visualize how governments change in banana republics. The “dictator” sitting in his office. Revolutionaries at the palace gates. They overcome the army/police. Break down the gates and enter the palace. Hundreds of them. They run to El Presidente’s office.

The end of El Presidente.

A similar situation could occur in the U.S. Could have occurred this past friday night.

A huge crowd demonstrating before the White House. Certain barriers were going down. Secret Service concerned.

Trump was taken briefly to the underground bunker in the White. The President, Melania, and Barron. They remained a little less than one hour.

Trump later claimed he felt “safe.” He lashed out at Washington’s Democratic Mayor who he claimed  refused to provide him protection.

Trump also raised the prospect his supporters would gather later in the evening in a place certain as a counter protest. They never showed up.

Trump reiterated again he could not have felt “more safe.”

He also advised dogs and weaponry were waiting inside the gate had the protesters successfully broken in.

Never one to fail in blaming someone else for his problems, Trump blamed Antifa and the “radical left” for the attacks at the White House. No proof was offered in support of his representation, nor for the one he made earlier concerning the Democratic mayor.

Some buildings should remain inviolate. Considered too sacred to suffer abuse.

Not this past weekend.

In addition to attempting to reach the White House, certain protesters set fire to the basement of St. John’s Church. St. John’s is across from the White House. Historically known as the “Church of the Presidents.”

About 2 weeks ago, I described the feelings of the American people as comparable to a “tinderbox.” Ready to explode into fire.

It happened this past week. Fires to buildings, police cars, and even a few persons.

Our children sometimes get into trouble. Could be something we want to kill them for. Or, something that made us proud.

New York City’s Mayor de Blasio has a 25 year old daughter. Chiara.

She was protesting over the weekend and was arrested.

Chiara was charged with unlawful assembly. She was arrested after she and other protesters refused to unblock a Manhattan Street.

Amazing how things work. Drug store chains have been erecting new drug stores like crazy the past few years. Seems the more the better.

CVS for example has several in little Key West.

CVS announced over the weekend it was closing stores in 20 states. Exact number and locations not provided. It was suggested customers contact CVS to see if a particular store was on the to close list.

Feeding America National Food Bank announced that more people are going to go hungry over the next year. The pandemic will leave 54 million with insufficient food. To help, food banks, food stamps and other aid will be required.

The group described what will occur as “food insecurity.”

Added to the insecurity is the increased cost of food. U.S. food prices keep going up. The increases this year described as “historic jumps.” Food cost has “skyrocketed by the most in 46 years.”

Meat and eggs were recently described as the primary items having gone up and would go up even further. Added to the list recently were potatoes and carrots.

This day a big one in Key West. Key West reopens! With some continued restrictions, of course.

The weekend will tell to what extent business will immediately return.

I believe Key West is reopening too early. The coronavirus tragedy is not behind us. Nowhere behind us. I worry that the fine controls exercised by Key West and Monroe County will be for naught 4-6 weeks from now when because of the increased numbers of people more will be infected.

Enjoy your day!

The world changed last night. The U.S. is at the footstep to a new era. One dominated by people of color. Whites will take a back seat forever more. As those of color have been forced to do for so many years.

A year or two ago, I read that by 2040 more than half the people in the U.S. would be those of color. Two months ago, I read that persons of color had already passed whites by 1 percent.

Last night’s riots were well organized and planned. You cannot argue with the statement. Several major U.S. cities had similar demonstrations the same evening.

Forced the powers to be in some instances to call in the National Guard. In huge numbers.

The White House protests were not of 100,000 persons or more. However noisy enough for one to say…..Hey, different!

I was impressed the entire Secret Service was called out to protect the White House.

Protests will increase as other issues develop. Then they will diminish. Diminished when the white man realizes the black man has become his equal or better and deserves a seat at the conference table rather than a confrontation in the street.

Last night was designed by those of color to disturb existing civil society. Accomplished.

I was pleased the Governors who utilized their National Guards called them in themselves. They did not ask the President to nationalize the Guard. That one step prohibited the President from using military under his control to quell the disturbances.

We never want it to happen. Once Trump gets that kind of power, he will not relinquish it.

Fire, pesticides, and a country at war with itself: The country Trump is presiding over. Coronavirus and unemployment along for the ride.

I do not see how Trump can be reelected. But then again, I never envisioned his being elected in the first place.

Trump had another Rose Garden press conference friday. At least I thought it was to be. So did everyone else.

Instead following a brief statement re the U.S. withdrawing all support for the WHO, he went into a long tirade concerning China. In effect, Trump terminated all U.S. ties, commercial and otherwise, with China.

China’s President Xi another “friend” of Trump’s. Up until recently, he was not concerned. Trump kept telling us he and Xi got along, everything would work out.

They certainly have! Right out the door!

The only relationship the U.S. presently has with China is a cold war which easily could turn into a shooting war.

While the U.S. for the past 20 years has been fighting stupid useless wars and spending trillions of dollars in the process, China was quietly strengthening every area of its military.

Not a recent tune by me. I have been arguing for 3 years that while no one was paying attention, China had exceeded the U.S. in military power.

Only one way to be certain. I hope the time never comes.

Some Key West news.

This morning’s Key West Citizen’s lead front page article concerned the number of empty stores on Duval. The tenants have left, the windows covered in paper.

The number: 50. Those merchants have thrown in the towel. Given up. Coronvirus the final killer.

Two respected Key West businessmen made the same observation. These are men who have lived in Key West for many many years. Both said Duval looked like it did in 1972 when the Navy pulled out.

Ed Swift noted that it took Key West 15 years to build its tourism industry after the Navy left.

How long will it take to bring it back?

Enjoy your Sunday!

Last night was not the best of nights. A major national protest. Riots. Over the Minneapolis police killing of a black man. The indignation fueling the demonstrations proper.

There was something different also. The protests were in major cities across the U.S. The blacks finally had it with the police. Their anger justified. Though I do not agree with the damage and physical injury done.

To be noted was the composition of those demonstrating. A mix of colored and white. Most if not all young.

The voices of the affected and concerned have been heard. The rioting must stop now. Before even tonight!

The last 2 months have found the U.S. a nation coming undone. Widespread disorder. A long hot summer of unrest could be ahead.

How dark will things become?

The beginning of a new civil war?

Could be.

An online militia movement has grown. Unquestionably gearing up for the heated summer ahead.

There is a far right militia group out there whose identity has only recently come to attention. Boogaloo Bois. Worked in the shadows before. Now in the light. Very anti-police. Thought to be instrumental in last night’s riots.

Boogaloo Bois hopes for an armed confrontation with law enforcement. A confrontation that will build momentum. The organization’s goal a new civil war in the U.S.

Pay attention to Boogaloo Bois. Do not let the name fool you. They are intelligent and committed. Also capable of raising large funds of money. In the past year, allegedly $50 million.

Last night’s riots an indication local and state police organizations may not be able to cope. Trump has to love this. He has been looking for a reason to get federal troops into the cities. The man is looking  to martial law to help him run the country. No question about his authoritarianism if it happens.

An emergency meeting was held friday night in the White House. To discuss how to deal with the riots.

The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 prohibits the use of active duty troops to police U.S. cities. Federal troops. There is an exception. The Insurrection Act of 1807. Last used in 1992 in Los Angeles following the Rodney King trial.

There is another avenue that might be described as an “exception,” also. It does not require the use of federal troops.

In the years following 9/11, Bush 2 signed the National Guard Under Federal Control Act into law. A provision provided that a President could federalize the National Guard.

The President can thereafter declare martial law in certain or all areas of the U.S. He would not have to, but could. It would depend on the nature and mindset of the person President at the time.

Martial law requires an emergency situation. All civil rights are suspended. A mighty tool for the misguided. One safeguard is martial law cannot be used to stop or impede an election.

News reports are brief this morning as to the use of U.S. troops to quell the riots. The best sense of things is that the friday night White House group decided on the use of a “rapid deployment” under authority of the 1807 Insurrection Act.

The word is “get ready orders” have already been issued. The deployment would involve 800 troops. From 2 federal bases: Fort Bragg in North Carolina and Fort Drum in New York.

Minnesota’s Governor called in 500 of Minnesota’s National Guard last night. They were unable to handle the situation. He has not made a request for federal troops or any type federal assistance as yet.

The Insurrection Act could be troublesome for those not involved in the riots. It is vague and its grant of authority broad.

The very foundation of our government is being eroded. How did we get to this point? The reasons are more than one.

Enjoy your day!

Trump’s bravado and tough guy image have made him the hero of many Americans. Especially the older white uneducated male population.

Many have formed into alt-right groups. One is Cowboys for Trump. The group is located in New Mexico.

A video ran a week or so ago of a meeting in New Mexico. The speaker an Otero County City Commissioner. He was attired in western garb. Hat and all.

He said, “The only good Democrat is a dead Democrat.” Realizing he may have gone a step too far, he followed it up with the admonition he was speaking “figuratively,” not “literally.”

Two nights ago, Trump came upon the video which had been tweeted. Trump retweeted the video. He felt the video was the kind of message people needed to see. Trump said, “Thank you.”

The City Commissioner went even further. He suggested certain top Democrats be executed for treason. Naming as examples Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Virginia Governor Ralph Northam. Both Democrats of course.

His message to the 2 Governors included the following: “You pick your own poison. You either go before a firing squad, or you get the end of the rope.”

Trump’s kind of people! He encourages them!

I worry that someone or some group is going to go too far and actually cause physical harm to some persons.

Minneapolis is a disaster. The year 2020 and we are still fighting the Civil War.

Major fires as of this morning. A police station and a block of small stores. There will be more fires and damage. Someone will probably be killed.

Trump disparaged in no way the demonstrations, protests, their actions, etc. If anything, his conduct gave the distinct impression he thought them good.

Trump has threatened to call in the National Guard. I don’t think he has the power to do so. He promised to “take control” if the situation did not improve.

Uttered words that will be attached to him even after he is gone: “When looting starts, shooting starts.”

Twitter did not think Trump’s comments proper. Stated they violated Twitter Rules “about glorifying violence.” However, Twitter determined that it might be in the “public’s interest for the tweet to remain accessible.”

Twitter has no balls! They decided the day before to fact check Trump’s tweets. They found something wrong with the comment described. Instead of eliminating the tweet, Twitter merely added an admonition.

Jimmy Buffett. The man who made his fame in Key West and added to Key West’s exciting background in the process.

Buffett mentioned this week that he had stopped drinking margaritas. Horror of horrors! The song, the restaurants, the hotel chain.

Actually he stopped in 2018. His drink of choice now is straight tequila on the rocks. He only enjoys his drinks on the weekend.

Age has its drawbacks.

Buffett said the reason he changed drinks was because margaritas got too sweet for him.

Hurricanes, hurricanes, hurricanes. I am getting uncomfortable. The season begins in a few days on June 1. The media has been publishing various hurricane concerns for 2 weeks.

The experts say this season may be one of the worst.

One of the concerns involves coronavirus. How could any area handle coronavirus and a hurricane at the same time? Rescue shelters, travel, etc. all involve people grouping together in close proximity.

May the experts be wrong and the Keys miss a hurricane of any consequence this season.

Trump has had a good year thus far. One hundred thousand dead and forty million unemployed. All in 5 months!

He is responsible for a myriad of reasons. May we never have a President like him again. May our people not be so blind and stupid to elect such a person as President again!

Trump got mad at Twitter this past week. Signed an Executive Order which would negatively affect social media companies.

The law appears not to have any validity. It changes a statute and only Congress can do it.

Trump signed the Executive Order as a retaliatory action because Twitter decided it was going to fact check his tweets.

The blockade at the entrance to U.S. 1 did much good. A contributing factor to Keys numbers re coronavirus being as low as they are.

In the last 2 weeks, certain Key West business persons began protests, etc. to get the Keys open to business by removing the blockade.

A lawsuit followed. A Duval merchant and his wife said in the legal papers they were owners of 5 “apparel shops” on Duval, their business was being affected by the blockade, etc.

The County Commission capitulated. The blockade is or will be removed June 1 at the same time that Key West in is reopened.

This morning’s Key West Citizen in its Comments’ Section carried an interesting observation: “The guy with the five ‘apparel’ shops in the Duval lawsuit to open the roadblocks, is an Israeli with 5 tee shirt stores cheapening our main drag even more. His money is just heading overseas.”

Boeing was having financial problems even before the coronvirus hit. The virus made things worse.

Boeing announced yesterday it was cutting its work force by 12,000 immediately. It further announced it intended to cut several thousand more by the end of the year.

Reason given by Boeing: The company is “restructuring.”

Probably are.

Interestingly, Boeing received no stimulus monies. Better phrased, refused to accept any such funds.

I am assuming Boeing knew what it was going to do. Made financial arrangements so they did not need to take any monies. Now they can do whatever without any negative comments. The formula they followed did not involve taxpayer dollars.

Enjoy your day!

Coronavirus finally made it. One hunded thousand plus deaths in the United States alone!

Nothing to be proud of. Very possible, no, probable, the number would not have been reached had Trump accepted the virus was a fact and moved swiftly.

It is amazing how swiftly coronavirus moved. Less than 100 dead March 1. In 3 months time, 100,000.

We mourn. The entire Nation. Except perhaps Trump and some of his cohorts. The Nation heard no words of grief as were expressed by Biden yesterday. No words in any fashion. The man lacks empathy. He does not care for that which he should. No matter what he may think, life is more important than the economy.

Large white refrigerated trucks still stand on some streets of New York. Filled with up to 100 dead bodies. Waiting for funeral home and crematorium personnel to become available to care for their remains.

The trucks are referred to as “morgue trucks.” People passing by know what they are. Cabs not attached. Merely the trailer sitting by the curb. The whirring sound of air conditioning can be heard. The green light shining to identify the trailer’s cargo.

While life has ended for those inside the trailers, life goes on outside. New York City on the move. Vehicles, pedestrians, kids playing, etc.

Not callousness. Merely what is.

A personal observation. Things are bad now. They will get worse on occasion. Life will return without the virus at some point. Recovery will not be over night, however. It will take longer for things to get better than it did for them to get bad.

Life at that point will not be the same. The country will have gone through an excruciating mind boggling experience. Yesterday’s normal will be no more.

I cannot tell you what it will be. We all have to wait and see.

Bad things seem to have a repetitive life. Not precisely the same. The same nevertheless.

Take for example 2 major epidemics in 100 years. The 1918 flu and 2020 coronavirus.

Some similarities.

At the beginning of each, some countries failed to reveal the problem or minimized the numbers of those affected.

World War I was on going. Nations involved kept quiet about this flu thing that was causing the people to become sick and die. Even the U.S.

The flu situation was a very close kept secret. More so than Covid-19.

When news of the flu epidemic broke, nations blamed each other as having caused the problem.

The flu was a greater scourge. It infected one third of the world population. In 2 years, 50 million people died.

Trump acted in a similar fashion. He first denied. Then lied about the numbers. Blamed another country as having been the cause.

Trump’s twisted mind and tongue  became evident once again with this conspiracy thing regarding Scarborough and a female staff member that died in Scarborough’s Congressional office in 2001.

The insinuation an affair between the young lady and Scarborough and Scarborough having somehow been involved in her death.

A few days ago, Trump lied in a tweet or two concerning the situation. He lied about something 19 years old and never an issue. The accusation an affair and a murder not true.

Trump has 80 million tweet followers. Most if not all read the accusation. It spread like wildfire into the media.

The young lady was Lisa Klausutis.

Her husband wrote to Twitter’s CEO Jack Dorsey. Quotes from his e-mail tell the story.

“Please delete these tweets. My wife deserves better.”

“I’m asking you to intervene in this instance because the President of the United States has taken something that does not belong to him and perverted it for perceived political gain.”

Lisa’s husband also spelled out the cause of her death: She had an “undiagnosed heart condition, fell and hit her head on her desk at work.”

An old axiom comes to mind regarding a lie and how swiftly one can do damage: “A lie can travel halfway around the world while truth is still getting its shoes on.”

Donald is the Master of the Lie.

United and Silver Airlines are suspending service to Key West till at least September 30. Perhaps even longer. The reason given passenger decline because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It is believed the necessary signatures on 3 petitions to limit the number and size of cruise ships has been achieved. The referendum will appear on the November ballot.

The student loan debt is $1.68 trillion. A big portion is not being repaid. The debt remaining static. Covid-19 making it worse.

A second storm reached hurricane status. Ergo, received a name. Bertha.

Bertha not a problem for the Keys. It made landfall in South Carolina. A tropical storm. Winds and flooding.

Bertha hit “fast and furious.” Took only 2 hours to hit after it was determined to be a problem.

I finally figured out who May Jonson’s love is. Everest. The man presently working in Miami.

May preferred to him in her diary of this date in 1896. She received a letter from “…..my darling Everest.”

I suspected Miguel was her love. She was often out and about with him in Key West. They frequently danced together at La Brisa.

This is day 78 of my self-quarantine. I am beginning to think I would like to get out.

Enjoy your day!

First, a Marathon chicken. Then, Key West chickens.

Forty three year old Nicholas Chew was having an argument in Marathon with his girl friend. Some chickens nearby were clamoring away. The noise was aggravating him. He kicked one of the chickens.

The chicken was hobbling on one leg and having trouble breathing. His girl friend called the police. Chew was arrested for animal cruelty.

The chicken was taken to the Marathon Animal Hospital. Diagnosis 4 broken ribs.

A witness to the kicking said Chew kicked the chicken like a football player would kick a field goal.

The Key West wild chicken population is becoming a problem again. The City says too many of them.

The City blames tourists. They feed the chickens. The chickens smart. They know a great home when they see it!

The City says the chickens are bigger as a result.

The tourist food is not required to keep the chickens full. They love bugs and there are enough bugs in Key West to accommodate their gastronomical needs.

Key West works at limiting the chicken population. Since 2009, 15,000 chickens have been captured and relocated to the mainland. Nevertheless, the number continues to grow.

A contributing factor is the rooster’s sex drive. Phenomenal! Whenever you hear a rooster cock a doodle do, he is not trying wake you up. They cock a doodle do all day.

Rather it is their way of telling the hens they want sex. Watch when you her the rooster’s call nearby. The hen(s) immediately run the other way.

My recollection is the gestation period is 29 days. A lot of sex means a lot of new baby chicks.

I don’t particularly like the chickens. They are dirty, disease ridden, in the way, and the roosters too noisy.

However, they are here to stay whether I like it or not!

Jimmy Buffett’s first studio recording in 7 years is out. “Life On The Flip Side.”

Typical Jimmy Buffett. Brings sunshine into darkness. The recording has been described as “equal parts of seduction and absurdity.”

Key West reopens monday June 1.

Covid-19 has been kept in control in the Keys. There has been a slight rise since U.S. 1 has reopened and certain activities in Key West also. The new numbers for the entire Keys are 107 cases, 4 deaths. Key West has the highest numbers of cases. Forty one. No Key West deaths.

Once Key West opens June 1, the hordes will come. As a result, 4-6 weeks later the coronavirus numbers will show a significant increase.

Unfortunately, we have to learn the hard way.

The world’s most prolific tweeter has been taken to task. Tweet announced yesterday Trump will be “fact checked.” About time! He has used Tweet to lie thousands of times.

Two situations gave rise to Tweet finally doing the right thing.

The first Trump’s continued condemnation of California’s moving towards a written ballot also. Fraudulent cried Trump. Elections will be rigged!

Not true. Trump knows it, the people know it, and Tweet knows it.

The second problem arose friday. Trump in effect suggested Joe Scarborough of Morning Joe fame might have been involved in a 2001 murder and there has been a conspiracy to hide the fact.

Lisa Klausutis was a female staffer in Scarborough’s then Congressional office in Washington. She fell, banged her head and died. Scarborough not even in the office at the time.

Nineteen years later, Trump is trying to make something out of nothing.

The young lady’s family has become involved. Her widower husband contacted Tweet’s CEO and ask him to delete the baseless conspiracy theory. Trump’s conspiracy accusation was disrupting the family.

Trump does not seem to care. He spoke later yesterday and rementioned it. Also said the matter should be investigated as there was no statue of limitations.

France has banned hydroxychloroquine as a cure for coronavirus.

Although there has been no formal banning in the U.S., I was under the impression that American hospitals  had abandoned the use of the drug also.

It has.

Not in a Virginia Veterans’ Hospital, however. Still being used as a treatment for coronavirus. Why? Does Trump being President have anything to do with it?

Brazil President Bolsonaro and Trump are both cut from the same bolt of cloth. Authoritarian. Know everything.

Bolsonaro has begun the destruction of the Amazon. Slaughters the forest. Lumber can be sold. The raw land mined for minerals.

A move Trump would make.

The two are on the same wavelength when it comes to coronavirus. Non-believers. Bolsonaro even worse than Trump.

As result, the virus has taken hold in Brazil. Cases number 391,000. Deaths 24, 512. The rise a recent surge.

Testing and masks a big problem. Not available.

Bolanaros keeps telling the people the virus is no problem. Sound familiar?

A Brazilian think tank official said, “If he stays in power, more people will die.”

There is talk the people may overthrow him.

Coronavirus has affected living creatures other than humans in one fashion or another.

In the U.S., city rats have gone “cannibalistic.” Restaurants are closed. A primary source of food. Rats solved the problem by warring in groups. The winning team eating the losing team.

The rats have graduated. They now eat their young, their children.

The CDC warns rats are becoming aggressive in their search for new food sources and humans should be aware and careful.

It is clear 20 year old May Johnson has a bot friend. I have wondered who. Could it be Everest. He apparently in living and working in the Miami area. The two have been writing to each other.

Enough for now.

Enjoy your day!

The bad guys of the old South ride again! No white face coverings or robes. Proud of the wrongdoing being perpetrated.

I have a constant fear as to where these right wing protests are going. Where will the protests end? Is death required? Especially a dramatic one?

Andy Beshear is the Democratic Governor of Kentucky.

A right wing group is active in Kentucky. Protesters. Avowed keepers of the American way. Whatever that means.

The group is the Right Wing Anti-Protesters. The name itself confusing.

They hung Governor Beshear in effigy Sunday. From a tree in front of the Governor’s mansion. The protest had begun downtown and then a group marched to the Governor’s mansion. Yelling and carrying signs: “Take Back Kentucky!”

There was a sign on the effigy containing a message: “Sic semper tyrannis.” Latin for “thus always to tyrants.” The significance of the words is that they are claimed to have been said by John Wilkes Booth following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

What next? Protests have a way of moving forward. Some could take them a step too far. Will a group tar and feather an elected oficial they disagree with? Then ride him out of town on a rail or mule as in the Old West.

If they get that far, the next step certainly is to hang for real the elected official. Perhaps do so without even tarring and feathering him.

What if the Governor is a woman? I doubt it would make any difference.

There is another alternative. Just shoot the elected official. Don’t screw around with preliminaries.

Trump bears a good share of responsibility for what is going on. He has been disregarding even his own “guidelines.” Those protesting were crazies even before Trump’s election. Now however they have a leader who thinks as they do. They’ve gone public. They remind me of bugs coming out of the woodwork.

Key West is actually a small town. Out of season around 28,000 residents.

Key West is a very patriotic community. People respond to just about everything. From helping neighbors following a hurricane to understanding and respecting the American flag. I sometime think Key West is 50-100 years behind the rest of the country.

An example are the some of those killed when the USS Maine exploded in Havana harbor in 1898. A goodly number are buried in a special section of the cemetery. The community their relatives. The community keeping the grave site neat and tidy.

Guy de Boer ran in a photo yesterday in KONK Life E-Blast of a portion of the Maine section. The American flag neatly placed before each head stone. Two Key West natives walking among the head stones: Two Key West chickens, a rooster and a hen.

We ARE more than one human family!

No one wants to listen. Even in Key West over the holiday weekend.

People were out and about. Distancing forgotten. Bars removed stools. Made no difference to customers who stood shoulder to shoulder.

And Key West has not yet opened to tourists! They arrive beginning June 1.

Most of the “warnings” were “irresponsibly and dangerously” ignored.

My concern is 4-6 weeks from now. The Keys has done well so far. The County Commission passed some tough local laws. However the Commission and Governor are starting to lift them.

Things will get worse. Our good record eliminated. Many more sick. More will die. So far only 3 or 4 deaths in the Keys.

While I am at it, I think Fantasy Fest should be cancelled. It is scheduled at the same time as the anticipated second wave.

Sixty to eighty thousand  persons in Key West the night of the parade. Money winning out over lives. Key West itself will take a beating health wise in the weeks following Fantasy Fest.

Wuhan did not reach its testing goal for its 11 million citizens in 10 days. Turned out to be 6.5 million in 9 days.

Still, a hell of an accomplishment.

Wuhan had initially been hard hit by coronavirus. It beat the virus! Went 30 days with no new cases. Then 2 weeks ago, 6 new cases in one day.

Wuhan did not hesitate. They set up the ambitious program to examine the 11 million in 10 days.

Wuhan says it has enough. The 6.5 million tested revealed 198 asymptomatic cases. People carrying the virus who have not been made ill by it.

Testing in the U.S. has been a failure. Trump is responsible. I will not waste your time setting forth the details. I have in the past. The media has, also. We all know the story.

The U.S. has not at any time met the numbers that Wuhan has demonstrated. Last Friday, Wuhan tested 1.47 million persons. The best one day testing in the U.S. was 416,183.

I find the following amazing. Trump speaks and Biden goes up in the polls.

A short trip back in time. Only to this past February.

Recall Trump saying, “It will all be over in a few days.” A reflection of Trump’s acute powers of prognostication.

It’s hurricane time! A threat every year. This season could be a bad one. The federal hurricane bureau predicts a bad season. The warning does not concern me. They have not always been correct. Hurricanes predicted. None arrived. Hurricanes not predicted. Several arrived.

What bothers me at the moment is the 2 “Arthurs” and Saturday night’s warning that a hurricane was forming and there was a 20 percent chance it would hit the Keys. Guess it did not form. No mention of it this morning.

The 2 “Arthurs” never became a Keys problem.

Nevertheless it is a long way to November 30, the end of the hurricane season.

Hurricanes don’t seem to understand stop and go. Hurricanes have struck after the November 30 date.

I wrote yesterday re the first bad hurricane of modern record keeping times. The hurricane of 1835.

Since hurricane season is around the corner, I did some research. The second “bad” hurricane occurred in October 1846. Over a period of 3 days: 9, 10 and 11.

The October 1846 hurricane was described by those alive at the time as worse than the 1835 one.

Hurricanes back then were described as “cyclones.” Sometimes “hurricanes,” but generally “cyclones.”

The 1846 one was labeled a “severe one.”

Halley’s comet was involved. It passed  over during the hurricane. Many believed the comet aided or created the hurricane. Poppycock or for real? I don’t know.

A resident wrote: It was “the most destructive of any that had ever visited these latitudes within the memory of man.”

Saturday 10/9 brought light squalls of wind and rain which increased during the night.

By Sunday 10/10, the wind was blowing fiercely and the rain was generally constant. Sunday night turned into a “very severe gale.” Note that in addition to cyclone, the term “gale” was also used in describing hurricanes.

Monday 10/11 the storm reached its greatest force. The storm had an “intensity” and blew from the north east. “Trees uprooted, fences blown down, and houses unroofed.”

All families living in Key West north west of Eaton Street abandoned their homes and sought refuge on higher parts of the island in the neighborhood of Southern and Simonton Streets which were thickly wooded.

The light house was washed away. Seven lives lost as the light house was carried away.

I could not find actual number of lives lost.

The residence of William Curry was located at the corner of Caroline and William Street. It was washed from its pillars and floated to sea. The mansion carried with it an “old colored servant” whose body was never recovered.

The storm left. People went to work immediately to overcome their misfortunes. When the sun rose Tuesday morning, people were at work recovering. They asked no outside help.

Colonel Maloney said: “They did not stop to shed tears over their misfortunes. The sun rose…..to behold active limbs and stout hearts cleaning the ground of the debris…..the waning moon of the next night shone up the bright hammer of the mechanic as he drove firmly home the nails in the reconstruction of their homes and business homes.”

Trees blown down were replanted.

Tonight, my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Always interesting. Has to be with Trump around.

Join me for a quick paced half hour. I rant and rave.

Nine my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

Memorial Day. A special day. One set aside to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.

A brief observation.

The Memorial Day of today is not celebrated in the same fashion as those following World War I and World War II.

I can recall the Memorial Day observances during and following World War II. And those celebrated in the years thereafter.

The Day has changed.

The war dead were memorialized back when. Parades huge. The whole community came out to watch. People listened with revered attention to speeches honoring the war dead.

Then it was off to home. Nothing special the rest of the day. The feeling was having attended a wake a step beyond the actual service.

As the years passed by, the U.S. was engaged in more wars. First Korea, then Vietnam. Most recently Afghanistan. I cannot recall a time the U.S. has not had boots on the ground somewhere in the world.

Something changed, however. The solemnity of the occasion became  a party day, a beach day, a pool day at home, a barbecue, a special shopping day at malls and large discount stores.. Fewer and fewer went downtown to observe the parade. Even fewer remained to listen to the speeches.

Yes, the Day has changed. It is not what was nor what was intended. Good or bad? I don’t know. I am merely setting forth what I have observed. Each of you draw your own conclusions as to why. Even whether the change has any significance.

Respectfully, Trump is a little boy President. Part and parcel of that conclusion is the observation that working class white American men support him. Men’s men. The most relevant component of Trump’s base. Strange since Trump is “the least masculine man to ever hold the modern Presidency.”

Tom Nichols wrote an interesting article in the most recent Atlantic publication: Donald Trump, the Most Unmanly President. An outstanding work as to why white American working men support a person so unlike themselves.

Nichols article is reviewed by setting forth a number of quotes from the article. Each speaking for itself.

Nichols begins with the inquiry as to why the working white men support a little boy President: “So many of Trump’s working-class white male voters refuse to hold Trump to their own standards of masculinity – why they support a man who behaves more like a little boy.”

The observation is made that Trump is not a stand up guy.

“Trump is a vain, cowardly, lying, vulgar, jabbering blowhard.”

“Is Trump a man your father and grandfather would have respected?”

One of George Orwell’s 1984 characters dismissed all the “marching up and down and cheering and waving flags” as “supply sex gone sour.”

“Trump is neither honorable nor courageous.”

He “is a rich downtown bully, the sort working men usually hate.”

“Trump is an obvious coward. He has two particular phobias: Powerful men and intelligent women.”

He “visibly cowers to…..Putin.”

He criticizes China but “likes President Xi, desperately seeking to avoid going on the offense to the Chinese Communist Party boss.”

The old standard of masculinity is “the strong and silent type…..Trump…..is neither strong nor capable of silence.”

Trump says things stereotypically masculine men would not. “Like North Korea’s Kim Jung Un…..We fell in love.”

Trump does not respect women. He doesn’t “like strong women…..Strong women scare Donald. Real men don’t try to bully women.”

Trump fails to accept responsibility. “He is a blamer. Nothing ever his fault.”

Trump fails to look out for his team. “In the midst of disaster, he praises himself while turning on even his most loyal supporters without a moment’s hesitation.” Easily utters, “I take no responsibility at all.”

Trump has trouble with empathy.” He was traumatized “by his childhood and father.” He “should go into psychotherapy.”

Trump lacks masculinity. It “is about maturity. He is not manly because he is not a man. He is a boy…..Not everyone grows up as they age.”

“Trump is a hero to a culture in which so many men are already trapped in perpetual adolescence…..men who feel like life might have passed them by, whose fondest memories are rooted somewhere in their own personal Wonder Years from elementary school until high school graduation, Trump is a walking permission slip to shrug off the responsibilities of manhood.”

Trump indulges “in….. hypocrisy.”

“Cheat on your wife? No problem…..being a father to your kids too onerous a burden…..Let the mothers raise them. Money trouble…..tell your father to write you another check…..Upset your town or workplace has become more diverse? Get it off your chest: Rail about women and Mexicans and African Americans at will and dare anyone to contradict you.”

A macho man. Trump is “the most macho of men…..can turn his enemies to ash through sheer testosterone overload.”

Trump is supported by working class white women also, though the number seems to be diminishing. These women “regard Trump as just one more difficult and mischievous man-child in their lives to be accommodated and forgiven.

These women gave Trump a pass after the Access Hollywood tape came to light. “Women showed up” at rallies with shirts featuring arrows pointing right to where Trump could grab them.

Melania defended the boyishness of it all. “I have two boys at home…..I have my young son and I have my husband. But I know how some men talk, and that’s how I saw it.”

“Trump is unmanly because he has never chosen to become a man…..He is…..working class America’s dysfunctional son, and his supporters, male and female alike, have become the…..parent explaining what a good boy he is to terrorized teachers even while he continues to set fires in the hallways right outside.”

His disgust is prevalent.

Howard Stern said it best: “The oddity in all of this is the people Trump despises the most, love him the most. The people who are voting for Trump for the most part…..He’s disgusted by them.”

Nichols’ follow up to Stern’s words: “The tragedy is that they are not disgusted by him in return.”

So it was said, so it was written.

Enjoy your day!