Came across a photo in Facebook this morning that says it all about real estate prices in Key West.

Tropic Cinema’s sculpture of Marilyn Monroe a Key West icon. It was removed to prevent damage during Eaton Street’s recent facelift.

Now to be returned. Requires delicate hauling and some specialized work.

An unexpected expense for the non-profit cinema. Donations being sought. To donate: www.tropiccinema.com/donate/.

DeSantis’ whacky rules going too far afield. He now wants to limit which flags a municipality may fly to four: American, State of Florida, Vietnam Veterans, and Firefighter Memorial flags.

Means Key West could no longer fly Conch Republic and Pride flags.

The idea as good as his recent reference to the Ukraine war as a “territorial dispute.”

The Key West Commission is adamantly opposed to DeSantis’ latest gambit.

Love it! A comment in this morning’s Citizens’ Voice: “To the voices who can’t find the Crosstown Greenery, it’s the first right after you exit the Cuban tunnel.”

On this day in 1900, the unveiling of the monument dedicated by the citizens of Key West to the heroes of the Battleship Maine, who died in Havana on February 15, 1898, was held in the City Cemetery. More than 10,000 were present and viewed the procession.

Something I learned early in grammar school. Around the third grade: Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin. The information appeared today in the Citizen’s History Section.

A phase of female discrimination struck down in Berlin. More aptly stated, permission to expose granted. Women will be permitted to go topless in Berlin public pools.

Equal protection under the law.

Hooray for the ladies! Hooray for the guys!

“Et tu, Brute.”

On this day in 44 B.C., Julius Caesar was assassinated.

An article by Bess Levin re Trump’s reaction to Michael Cohen’s anticipated testimony before the Grand Jury appropriately titled: “That Sound You Hear Is Donald Trump Shitting Several Bricks Over Michael Cohen’s Grand Jury Testimony.”

Justice awaits.

Got out yesterday. Lunch at Roostica. Excellent Italian food. Followed by a quick visit to Dr. Norris’ office.

Enjoy your day!

The theme from Love Story: Where do I begin to tell the story of how great a love can be…..No, how bad a movie can be!

Everything, Everywhere All At Once was awarded the Oscar as the Best Movie of the Year Sunday night. I don’t know how. Absolutely the worst movie ever!

I saw the movie last night. It has no redeeming features.

I was surprised I was able to watch it. I was searching the Movies site for something to watch. Suddenly, the movie was there. And free. I was thrilled. I was anxious to see the film that had distinguished itself with seven Academy Awards.

Pure unadulterated crap. Two hours nineteen minutes of agony. I hung in there and watched the whole thing. I wanted to be sure I was not making a mistake in deciding from almost the beginning that it was the worst ever.

I had to be a masochist to watch the whole thing.

It is a cult film. A handful of movie supporters must have liked it. Otherwise, it would not have won. I compare its following to Trump’s 30 percent. Come hell or high water, he’s a great man. To the cult, the movie is a great movie. No one is going to change their minds. The other 70 percent will be alienated as I was.

Now I understand why many for real big time movie stars failed to appear at the Oscars. They knew how bad the film was and did not wish to evidence their support for it.

If the new Top Gun gave a positive shot to the movie industry, Everything, Everywhere All At Once is a negative. Even the title sucks.

Some will criticize me for this blog. Say I am not a movie critic. I disagree. I am 87 and have watched hundreds of movies over my lifetime. Experience qualifies me to comment with a degree of expertise. As it does so many other persons.

Don’t take my word for the quality of the movie. Judge for yourself. Avoid paying for a theater ticket, if you can. A total waste of money. Rather see if you can find it for free on the Movies site as I did.

My foot is better. Thank you to those who continue to inquire. Not 100 percent, however.

I wake in the morning and the foot is fine. Except for the big toe. It only bends about 25 percent and is generally cold. Within 3-4 hours of sitting and working on the blog, the bad signs begin and remain with me all day. Regardless of what I do. The foot and ankle swell. Only 20 percent. There is no pain and I am able to walk normally.

One of the medications came in a 30 day supply. I have several left and must continue till the bottle is empty. Hope the problem does not reappear in any fashion by the time I am done.

I plan on going out to lunch. I have not shaved in almost 3 weeks. Going to shave for the event!

Enjoy your day as I plan to mine!

A whore is someone who has sex for money. Bankers fuck the public for money. Ergo, the term fits. Bankers are whores.

Two banks in effect went under since friday. One big, one small. The big one in the west, the smaller a regional bank in the east. Each was subjected to an old fashioned bank run. As were a handful of other banks such as the Boston Private Bank in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

I smile for two reasons re the Wellesley Bank. It is owned by the Silicon Valley Bank, the western entity that first announced it was in trouble. The Boston Private Bank owned by it is located in Wellesley. Wellesley is one of the most affluent of U.S. communities. People were standing in line outside the bank over the weekend seeking to get their money out.

What is going on?

Inflation being blamed. Everything blamed on inflation these days. In the two bank cases, the cause not inflation per se. Rather the failure of those running the banks to recognize low interest rates will at some point become high interest rates. Banks must prepare investment wise and pay out wise for such to occur. The two banks did not.

Generally never fails. In every facet of life. What goes up will go down. What goes down will go up.

My lifetime experience is that banks are inept whores. Invested with too much power. Exercised ruthlessly in most instances. The problem is when a bank screws up, the ones who pay the price are the depositors and investors.

Recall the Bible story of Jesus throwing the moneychangers out of the Temple. The money changers were bankers.

Sometimes you just can’t win for losing. Girl Scout cookies are hard to find this year.

Two reasons. Supply chain issues and unexpected demand.

Sales began in February. Cost per box a reasonable $5.

The difficulty in finding Girl Scout cookies so bad it is being described as a “shitshow.”

Conserve water! There is a water shortage in the Keys.

The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority is the water supplier for the Keys. It has experienced three breaks this past week. Such is why I had to rinse shower soap off my body the other night with bottled water.

Just received a tweet from the Authority. Conserve! Use as little water as possible. Do not wash cars, property, plants, etc. The message also advised that water before used for human consumption should be boiled. Boiling to continue through 5 pm wednesday.

Yesterday an enjoyable one. The Players and Oscars.

The Players is one of professional golf’s premier tournaments. Scottie Scheffler won. His score 17 below par. Beat his nearest opponent by 5 strokes. His pay day a whopping $4,500,000.

The tournament was played at Florida’s TPC Sawgrass. A very difficult course. So difficult, I describe it as a “perversion.” Does more than test a player’s skill. Requires significant luck also. Scheffler had both for the tournament.

Loved the Oscars last night!

The movie Everything, Everywhere All At Once the big winner. Seven Oscars. Dominated the evening.

Jamie Lee Curtis received the Award in the Best Supporting Actress category. On in her years, I was thrilled for her. Her parents now dead were the very popular movie stars Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh.

Brendan Fraser won for Best Actor. On in his years, also.

Fraser broke into the movies some 30 yeas ago. Played light comedian roles. Enjoyed his performances tremendously! Then I saw him no more. He disappeared for a number of years. Now returned and his talent acknowledged in The Whale.

Tom Cruise did not attend. I assume because he did not receive a nomination for Best Actor. The movie industry as a whole says his performance in the new Top Gun has renewed movie going. Brought people back to the movie houses. If such the reason he did not attend, I understand. He was slighted.

Happy Anniversary Pope Francis!

Ten years ago today, Francis was elected Pope. Reform has marked his Papacy.

Francis says more to be done. Two things especially. One, women are to be more concretely involved in Church matters. The other the need for better inclusion and leadership of lay Catholics at every level of Church life.

Enjoy your day!

Jimmy Carter is eternal!

Three weeks and one day ago on February 18, 2023 following a “series of short hospital stays” and with the end of his life imminent, Carter decided to “spend his remaining time at home with his family” in Plains to “receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention.”

He is respectfully still alive and kicking. God bless him!

East Palestine is in the news today and will be for some time to come. It will be an EPA Superfund site.

Carter is responsible for the format that will remediate the area and assist its residents. Carter laid the groundwork in 1978 when he declared a federal emergency in the neighborhood of Love Canal in Niagara Falls, New York.

More than 800 families were evacuated from the neighborhood which had been built on top of a toxic waste landfill. The Superfund law was created in response to the situation. Federal disaster money was appropriated to demolish the approximately 500 houses and 2 schools which had been built on top of the dump, to remediate the landfill and construct a contamination area for the hazardous wastes.

This was the first time such a process had been undertaken.

The longest running Broadway show comes to an end April 16. The Phantom of the Opera.

The Phantom has had a 35 year run. The show opened in 1988. There have been over 14,000 performances.

I enjoy musical theater, especially Broadway shows. Over the 35 years, I attended 4 Broadway performances of The Phantom.

I had a screwed up night. By night, I refer to like the middle of the night. Beginning at 1:30 in the morning.

Turns out many in the Key West area experienced the problem also.

There was no water. The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority must have sprung a leak somewhere.

In my old age, I sleep poorly. Lucky to get 3-4 hours an evening. I have become accustomed, I spend my evening hours reading and writing and watching old movies.

It was 1:30 and I had not yet slept. Decided to take a shower. I was all soaped up ready to rinse. Suddenly, no water!

My exclamation: Shit!

Needed to rinse.

I am not fond of Key West water. Drink as little as possible. Which means I buy bottled water by cases of 24 16 ounce bottles.

Two cases are always next to my desk in my office which is on the second floor. My shower off my bedroom on the other side of the second floor.

I slowly walked to the office and grabbed several bottles. Returned to the shower and rinsed the soap from my body with them.

Not a terrific experience!

When I woke this morning, water had returned.

An example of the Ku Klux Klan’s influence in Key West 100 years ago. Most are surprised each time I write about the Klan’s existence in Key West.

On this day in 1926, the Junior Ku Klux Klan burned a cross between 10 and 11 am in the vicinity of the “second Martello tower.”

Junior part of the Klan, no less.

Tonight, the Oscars! Love the Oscars! Always have.

One of my favorite past times was going to the movies. Joined by a lady. Sharing popcorn and a large Diet Pepsi. COVID killed the experience.

I still watch movies on TV. Old and new alike. Not the same, however.

I will enjoy this evening watching the Oscars on. A major problem is I do not see current movies. So I have no judgment as to the best ones and stars for the year.

This afternoon a biggie also. The final round of The Players. Competitive golf at its best!

Enjoy your Sunday!

I watched portions of the East Palestine/Norfolk Southern train derailment Senate hearing. Few, if any, seemed to know what they were talking about.

Senate persons and residents wanted “full commitment” from Norfolk’s CEO Alan Shaw now. They do not understand what they are talking about. Everyone was speaking from a basis of ignorance. I would have expected the Senators at least to have a basic understanding of how things will get to everyone’s goal.

The railroad will pay what the law requires. Not a penny more. However what the law mandates will be sufficient and overwhelming. The amount will be in the millions or billions. I realistically suspect in the billions.

Many others besides Norfolk will also pay. EPA law requires all potentially responsible parties to contribute. Who? Anyone who contributed to the disaster in any fashion before, during or after. Examples would include the decision to burn. Before this is over, those involved will be accused of an erroneous decision which aggravated the problem. Companies who repaired or may have provided defective train parts or tracks, companies that cleaned or repaired the railroad cars carrying the contaminants, etc. You will be amazed what the investigation will reveal.

Cause and effect are involved. All we hear about presently is effect. Understandable. People may get sick, etc. However who and what caused the derailment is important in determining who pays. Payment will be proportional.

Remediation will be worked on quicker than money in the pockets of residents for their actual problems. Health problems cannot be evaluated till they surface. No one buys a pig in the poke.

A structure is required to evaluate all phases of the case. A proper structure does not yet exist. There will be an EPA Superfund lawsuit initiated and managed by the EPA. It will be in federal court. The judge will oversee every phase of the mammoth convoluted litigation. Dozens to hundreds of lawyers will be involved. I had one case involving over 2,000 lawyers. I had to rent a movie theater for one hearing. The case will conclude with Consent Orders requiring payments by whom to whom, when and how. Time tables will be strict.

Understand litigation of this size and nature will take 5-10 years. Actual control by the court re the remediation itself at least 30 years.

In the meantime, everything gets done in an orderly fashion. This will not be the first rodeo by the court, EPA, most of the attorneys involved, the insurance companies, the experts, etc. They have been at it since 1980.

I am concerned at the moment by one thing which is occurring. It was indicated at the Senate hearing that a committee of 5 were making decisions as to cause and cleanup at the moment. Bad! There can be only one leader, one boss. Everyone sits at the table and participates in decision making. However, the final decision as to each and every step must be by one person. Compromise most times fails to take care of everyone and everything in proper fashion.

Keep in mind Eisenhower and D-Day. The Allies had a group of generals, admirals, etc. who sat and discussed what should be done and in what order. In the end however, only one person made the decisions. That person was Eisenhower. Too many cooks spoil the broth.

The EPA will be Eisenhower. The judge will review the EPA’s recommendation and generally goes with the recommendations.

Note the EPA is a difficult taskmaster in these cases. They know they have the power and do exercise it.

As I have suggested several times, this case is a different. It had all the indicia of a big one from day one. Which in this instance is good. Everyone has the opportunity to be involved early on. What has to happen is for things to develop, problems be discovered, injuries as well, etc. Deal with them within the framework developed. Since the matter is different, especially as to timing, innovative steps will be developed by the EPA, court and those involved to resolve claims along the way. Perhaps some sort of trust fund of dollars to begin paying resident claims.

The Senate hearing was no more than an opportunity for everyone to vent. The sooner this matter gets legal structure, the better.

In the Citizens’ Voice today: “Have you been to the supermarket in Searstown recently? Notice anything different about the new paper bags? The bags are 3 inches smaller than the old paper bags. Does using more bags make you feel you are getting more groceries?”

I bought it! Thought I was!

My groceries are delivered. I shop at the other Publix. Per request, my regular delivery person uses plastic bags. I don’t want paper ones. She was out for 2 weeks. New person was unaware of my preference. Used paper bags. I could not believe how much more groceries my dollars were purchasing during those 2 weeks! I even mentioned it to the substitute delivery person.

Yes, I am gullible. No more so than most other Americans would be in this regard. Shame the con job the food industry has been perpetrating in this regard and others.

I fear saying it. However, I feel much better today. Could feel getting better yesterday.

Decided to keep a manicure appointment. Walking to the car still difficult. Walking period, difficult. Drove to Habana Plaza and was able to park directly in front of Lee Nails in Habana Plaza. As I was leaving, Sheila Cullens walked by. She was on her way to work at the Citizen which has offices in Habana Plaza. I had not seen Sheila in some time. It was good to run into her.

We are birds of a feather to some extent. I use a cane. Sheila now a walker.

Such is life!

The phone rang yesterday afternoon. It was Jean Thornton calling from Hawaii. She was inquiring about my health. What a friend!

She and Joe have been in Hawaii for 3 weeks. Return next week to Birmingham. Jean will be back in Key West on the 21st.

The Key West Library welcoming Spring with a Hindu celebration at 2 this afternoon. The celebration Holi, a Festival of Colors.

The Hindu festival marks the coming of the Spring season by spraying everyone with colorful powder or dumping water on them.

I subscribe to Weird and Outrageous. Recently received 2 comments from a Nancy Butler at PETA. The second one asking why I had not commented on the first. The issue/reasoning from my end sufficient that I thought the response would be more appropriated here for a number of reasons.

PETA is People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. A noble organization. Members thoughtful persons caring for animals based on their beliefs.

The situation presents itself however reflecting we do not all think alike. I respond with respect to Butler’s position.

Butler’s message in effect was persons who consume white milk are white supremacists.

I don’t buy it.

I consume one gallon of white milk per week. Have been so doing my entire life. Before which I drank white milk from my mother’s breast. Does that make me a white supremacist? My mother? I enjoy a rare or medium rare steak. Does the fact that it is red and sometimes reflect the meat’s blood make me a communist?

The point I wish to make is that we sometimes carry things too far. A vegetarian I am not. I enjoy my milk and beef. I never gave Nancy’s issue any real thought. However in briefly reflecting this morning, I would say God meant for man to drink the mother’s milk and the cow’s milk and to eat the bodies of animals. No where in the Bible have I ever seen anything to the contrary or prohibitive.

To each his own.

Economic experts reported yesterday “employment is still strong and robust…..Monthly job growth remains robust.”

Three hundred eleven thousand jobs were added in February. Higher than the 225,000 jobs forecast, but less than January’s 504,000 positions.

Nevertheless, unemployment rate is at 3.6 percent, still near a multi-decade low.

Wages increased .02 percent from January, lower than expected. However on a year to year basis, higher by 4.6 percent.

I feel like I have made a discovery! One I wish to share.

I have been a yo-yo dieter since I was 35. Up and down. Never beat the  weight problem.

My newest kick is eliminating sugar from my diet.

I am of Italian extraction. Italians enjoy bread. Bread bad is you are trying to control weight. Since I tried Dr. Atkin’s diet in the mid 1970’s to today, I have been on the eternal quest not for the Holy Grail, but for a low or no carb bread. Until this week, all discoveries tasted like crap. No other way to state it. I was not able to stay with them.

I searched Amazon for a low sugar bread. They had a number. I ordered HERO. Remember the name if you seek the same. It is a white bread, zero carbs, zero grams of sugar. Tasty, simply eaten or toasted. A winner!

I can’t wait for lunch today!

One problem. Expensive. Costs $25 for 2 loaves. I eat 4 slices a day normally. That is a 2 week supply.

Enjoy your day!

Jim Boeheim retires/retired (?) after 47 years.

Whether voluntary or involuntary, there comes a time. Jim, you will always be remembered not only at Syracuse, but in the annals of basketball forever.

Syracuse would never have developed into the basketball program it did without you. The Carrier Dome would not have been a success without you.

Collegiate fans should realize universities are like major corporations. You fail to produce, you’re gone.

Enjoy retirement. As I well know, it takes time. However, it does grow on a person. After a while you will wonder how you maintained the pace you did all those years.

I would have preferred Garry McNamara as Boeheim’s successor. He has been Syracuse without interruption. He appears to have the Boeheim heart.

I am curious what will happen with the zone defense.

Some Trump.

He appeared before CPAC in Washington, D.C, over the weekend. Trump contended “you couldn’t get into the building” as he insisted seating for his speech was filled as his supporters flocked to see him.

Fact: Trump expressing his unhappiness afterward to CPAC organizers over the “half full crowd” which was present to hear him speak.

Netanyahu’s all systems crackdown on Israeli democracy disturbing, but not surprising. Authoritarianism to the core. In a democratic society born in opposition to Hitler’s authoritarianism.

I began to worry about Netanyahu when he and Trump became such birds of a feather. My concern was further fed by the American Jewish community who were thrilled by Trump’s generosity, etc.

The authoritarian seed was planted and is generating big time.

What is happening in Israel will occur in the U.S. if Trump is reelected.

Bess Levin writes an interesting and perceptive observation re Trump in a 3/6 Vanity Fair article titled “Report: Trump Spends His Days…..Workshopping Nicknames About DeSantis’ Height And Penis.”

Levin writes: “‘Tiny D’ is apparently under consideration for the Florida governor…..it’s pretty perfect, it’s pretty perfect, as it has the double meaning of both being about DeSantis’ height and his penis size.”

The penis portion would even be beyond Trump’s record of nasty remarks.

How would Trump know the size of DeSantis’ penis?

The first U.S. female President will not have a penis.

A real President. Harry S Truman.

This day in 1952 marked the last time Truman arrived in Key West as President. It was his 11th trip making for a total of 175 days as President that he enjoyed Key West.

Tom Brady worked hard and successfully more years than most in his profession. Will forever be remembered as the greatest professional quarterback of all time.

He was paid well for his efforts and the days of effort and preparation that made him the success he was. Now he is enjoying the fruits of his labors.

Brady has a new yacht. Not that big as yachts go. Big enough, however. Seventy seven feet.

He named the yacht “TW12VE Angels.” It is a Wajer 77.

It has been described as a hotel on wheels.” Sleeps 9 comfortably. Brady intends to primarily use it for weekend trips to the Bahamas.

A small business boomed last year. It is expected to boom considerably more this year.

“Commercial surrogacy” as an industry has seen a dramatic rise as demand for babies has risen and the promise of good earnings associated with it.

Note the father to be has no biological link to the child. The woman is pregnant by another or prepared to become pregnant by another for a fee. A significant one.

An increasing number of women in Georgia and Mexico participated as commercial surrogate mothers. in 2022. The industry rose to $14 billion last year. It is expected to skyrocket to $129 billion in 2023.

My health.

I report with caution. Believe I am on the mend. I said that monday or tuesaday morning this week. Then by late afternoon my problem moved from my big toe to the entire foot and ankle.

Again, I report that I believe I am 50 percent better. Swelling down considerably. Still visible. Very little pain/discomfort occasionally. Walking and handling the stairs better.

Still don’t know cause. I will be speaking with my doctor today.

I am supposed to have dinner tonight at Tavern ‘n Town with my Syracuse grad friends. Boeheim would be the center of discussion. Don’t think I am going to make it. I know from experience sitting that long will not be good.

Enjoy your day!

A rare talk show this morning. A brilliant diamond.

Mika Brzezinski is part of the Abu Dhabi Forbes 30/50 Conference. She moderated a talk show which was shown on MSNBC. Co-moderator was Hillary Clinton. The three guests Billie Jean King, Gloria Steinem and Olen Zelenska. No y at the end of her name on the show. Must be the English translation in the Ukraine language is a.

King a tennis great of yesteryear. Beat a male challenger in a match watched by 90 million at the time. An equal pay advocate who among other things pushed for equal salaries for U.S. Open female players where she succeeded in the effort. Steinem in the forefront of many women movements of yesterday and today. Zelenska the wife of the Ukraine President.

The Conference part of International Women’s Day.

All five ladies were articulate and right on. Mixed everything they said with humor. All veterans of the eternal war regardless of their present ages.

Catch a rerun, if you can. Politics and gender have nothing to do with it. It is a rare moment when such quality in every regard is presented on TV these days.

Today’s blog a short one. My yesterday reported malady got much worse by mid afternoon. A reversal. Horrible! Walking next to impossible. Pain atrocious. Other developments I won’t waste your time with at the moment.

Ended up with more doctoring. X-rays, a shot in the butt, a pill, a prescription for 2 more pills. What was/is wrong with me? No one yet knows. We continue with the gout theory, Though I sense and agree it does not look like the cause. Now into something called cellulitis. I thought such was related to fat. I don’t now.

What I do know is my foot went very large from toe to ankle. My ankle swelled to better than twice its normal size. Add to it constant coughing and low grade sweating.

I am better this morning. By about 50 percent. Coughing down but still there. No difference re the sweating.

I screwed up in yesterday’s blog. My apologies. I reported the Syracuse/Wake Forest game was last night. It was not. Noon today.

That’s the short story line for today. I mention only because of the number of you who have written or telephoned concerned about me. Thank you. When you get to be my age and live alone as long as I have, there are moments when you tend to think no one cares about you anymore.

Enjoy your day!

I have been going through hell since sunday. Pain like you would not believe. Seemed to be gout. I had an attack several yeas ago. In the last 48 hours I have gone through gout, not gout, blood problem, not blood problem, back to gout, now not sure. In spite of it all, I presently have pain like you would not believe Walking next to impossible. Cane of no assistance. Stairs dangerous. I am heading for a fall!

I went on gout pills yesterday at noon. By dinner time, I was considerably better. This morning, worse. Woke to a totally enlarged foot starting to work its way into my ankle. My 7 month problem recently resolved.

God bless Dr. Norris. He is working closely with me. Even came to my home sunday night. Could I ask for more! He wanted to see if gout or a blood problem. Diagnosis goes back and forth.

We have examined any new foods I may recently have begun eating. I tried to eliminate sugar from my diet a few weeks ago. Discovered a cranberry juice brand with only 1 gram of sugar in a 64 ounce bottle. I have literally been drinking cranberry juice by the gallons. Order it from Amazon 4-6 64 ounce bottles at a time.

Guess what? Norris checked the labels on the bottle and ran them through his sources to see if the juice can be a gout problem. Yes, it can.

Problem is my body is not reacting properly to the gout pills. Norris says it may take a few more days to get the juice out of my body.

Note I did not do a blog yesterday. The pain was too much. I could not concentrate. Was not going to write this morning. However, the blog is part of my life and I missed doing it yesterday and did not want to miss again today.

Another Norfolk Southern Train has derailed in Ohio. Near Springfield. Fortunately, no hazardous waste materials on board.

I recall Johns-Manville and the asbestos deluge of cases back in the 1970’s and early 1980’s.

I was intimately involved in the second and third waves of asbestos cases on a nationwide basis.

For much of the 20th century, Johns-Manville was the global leader in manufacturing products containing asbestos.

In 1982 facing unprecedented liability for asbestos injury claims, it voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 protection under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The Manville Trust was born as a result and is still operating. The monies used to pay asbestos injury claims.

I have taken the time to weave Johns-Manville history into the East Palestine personal injury claims which will follow. People should not want to put Norfolk Southern out of business. Need their monies and any other available funds to meet the serious injury damage claims that will be made.

Note railroad train derailment accidents are common. Very much so. The U.S. averages more that 1,700 a year. Works out to 4.8 derailments a day.

Tomorrow March 8 marks the beginning of Catholic Sisters Week. The celebration of Catholic women in religious orders.

Nuns were part of my upbringing and adult life.

From the second to the eighth grade, I attended Blessed Sacrament School. Run by Brown Franciscan nuns. Called Brown Franciscans because of the color of their habit and to distinguish them from Black Franciscan nuns who wore black habits and were later part of my adult life. The Brown Franciscans were kindly to those of us of Italian and Syrian extraction. We were few in the school.

High school was Utica Catholic Academy. Run by the Sisters of Charity. These good ladies wore tall white bonnets. Like wings.

For whatever reason, they were all older than my grammar school nuns.

Tough women.

One befriended me. Why, I have never been sure. My sense is she noticed my interest in history. She taught history. We got into things together not taught in the classroom. She expanded my thought process.

Whether I was going to college depended on money. My parents did not have money. Sister Gertrude made it her business to make sure I got to college.

Student wise, I was not bad. I was fifth in my class.

Sister Gertrude’s cousin was a Christian Brother. He was Athletic Director at Manhattan College in New York City. She arranged for him to sponsor me in effect and also got me a small scholarship along the way.

The things we never know. At least not my family or people. The McGinty family owned and operated a major Utica bank. The McGinty’s all attended Manhattan College. At one point, a McGinty was President of Manhattan College. Another small scholarship appeared through the bank.

Nuns were not an integral part of my life again till I was an established lawyer in Utica. Black Franciscans that I mentioned earlier.

One involvement was St. Elizabeth Hospital. Utica’s largest. Fourteen hundred employees. Operated by Black Franciscans. Sister Rose Vincent was the CEO. A top business woman. I met Sister Rose through my wife who annually co-chaired a major fund raising dance for the hospital. We became friends.

She and another nun Sister Johanna used to have dinner at our home occasionally. Certain of the nuns were fanatical Syracuse fans. Many the football and basketball game these ladies enjoyed in my box.

Sister Rose also would call me for advice when certain matters arose where she needed help.

Our relationship was close. An example involving two trips.

Sister Rose always was on my back that I worked too hard and needed to take more time off. One day, I received a telephone from her. She said next week you and your family (my wife, four children and parents) are leaving for Italy for a month. I have arranged for your tickets, a villa on the Mediterranean near Rome, two rented cars, etc. Of course, I had to repay her.

She had to convince me to go. A whole month! Never had I taken that much time off. Not even close to it.

Everyone involved, the family and office staff, knew.

I went. Why not!

That was telephone call number one. The second was the day I returned from Italy. Hello Louis, how are you, etc. Don’t unpack. You and I are leaving for Hawaii tomorrow for one week. I have an important business conference involving big dollars and want you there.

I forgot to mention. Sister Rose was number 3 in her Order world wide. A heavy hitter.

The trip was torture. Three different time zones my body had been through.

I have another story involving Sister Rose’s order that I will save for another day. I have gone too far already with today’s blog.

Syracuse plays Wake Forest tonight in their opening game of the ACC end of season tournament.

Enjoy your day!

New York’s Pennsylvania Hotel was once the world’s largest. A city within a city. Twenty two stories tall. Two thousand two hundred rooms.

Today, it is down to ten stories. This morning’s New York Times described the demolition of The Pennsylvania as “poof.” It has been going, going, soon to be gone.

Glenn Miller’s “Pennsylvania 6-5,000” reflective of the hotel and its former days of majesty.

I began practicing law in 1960. In the early years when a client’s business took me to New York City, I stayed at The Pennsylvania. By that time, it was affordable. Within my budget. Also it was directly across the street from Madison Square Garden. Made it conveniently possible for me to get in a game of some sort.

Late yesterday afternoon was absorbed by me with the Syracuse/Wake Forest game and Trump’s CPAC address. Caught me switching channels periodically.

Syracuse played well. Finally. Defeated Wake Forest 72-63.

The Syracuse zone defense tightened. Prevented Wake Forest from making a 3 pointer in the first 10 minutes. The defense eased up a bit thereafter and Wake Forest ended up making 10 or a bit more 3 point shots.

The ACC season is over. Tomorrow begins the League’s season playoff.  Syracuse plays its first game tuesday. Ironically, it plays Wake Forest again. Syracuse and Wake Forest are seeded 8th and 9th respectively. Therein is why they will be meeting again.

I was interested in how Trump would come across at the CPAC gathering. He was terrific! Must give the devil his due. If and when he meets DeSantis in debate, he will destroy DeSantis. No competition.

“Cutie” is the most common slang word for boyfriend/girlfriend in 9 states. More than any other.

I would suspect “cutie” was similarly popular, if not more, 50 years ago.

Two great men delivered equally great speeches almost on the same day, though years apart.

On March 4, 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was inaugurated President of the United States. The country was at the height of the depression. Roosevelt’s ever to be remembered words: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

Exactly 13 years and 1 day later on March 5, 1946, Winston Churchill delivered his Iron Curtain speech. Considered one of the most famous orations of the Cold War period: “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent.”

Chilling.

On this day in 1952, Ernest Hemingway finished “The Old Man and the Sea.”

The movie soon followed starring Spencer Tracy.

I watched the movie for the first time yesterday. More than 60 years after the film was released.

Watching Spencer Tracy spend 3 days and nights capturing the large fish made me tired. His bleeding hands made mine ache. Great dialogue!

One more significant day. This day in 1963. The Hoola Hoop was patented.

The hip swiveling toy was first marketed in 1958 when 25 million were sold in the first 4 months of production alone. My 3 daughters and many granddaughters tried to teach me how to hoola hoop. I wanted to learn. Great exercise, I thought.

Ally was the last one who tried.

I was a dismal failure in each instance. I could not get my hips and body to coordinate.

I have been on a good health kick for a couple of months. Lost 18 pounds!

I attribute the success to the stationery bicycle and watching what I eat. Even eliminating some evening dinners.

The stationery bike not only has helped with the weight. It resolved my ankle swelling problems which 3 doctors could not. The bike is located next to my bed. First thing every morning, I go from the bed to the bike. I am up to 50 minutes a day. Taking it slow.

My physical success has thrilled me. Did not last long, however. At 87, something always goes wrong. I woke this morning with a return of the gout. Painful! Last time 2 years ago.

I am not complaining. Merely sharing. My fear is the next malady will be a real bad one. The way the mind works at my age.

Enjoy your Sunday!