It’s raining iguanas. The cold spell affects them. They are falling off trees.

Iguanas are cold blooded reptiles. Their bodies go dormant when the weather gets too cold. Sluggish when the temperature drops below 50 degrees. Cold below 40 degrees. Cold stuns them and they drop to the ground.

Not dead. Always alive. Merely out of it till the weather becomes warm again.

I am not fond of iguanas. I am aware of no one who lives in the Keys who is. They are a destructive reptile. Eat landscaping. Devour expensive flowers.

Another habit is they enjoy defecating in pools. Not cheap to drain, replenish the water and bury the water in chemicals.

Iguanas are far from man’s best friend.

On the other hand, considered good food in certain countries. Many in Central and South America eat iguanas on a weekly basis. The taste is comparable to chickens.

The State of Florida finally decided this year that iguanas had become a problem. One that had to be dealt with. Too many. Easily reproductive.

The story is comparable to Florida’s Burmese python problem. The State decided too late there were too many. Florida admitted several years ago that the pythons could not be totally eradicated.

I view the iguana problem comparable. Already too many. The State has decided too late to do something. In the next few years, the State will admit it can only mange iguanas and not eradicate them.

COVID-19 has dramatically affected Key West’s tourism business. As it has throughout the country.

I have several concierge friends. One called yesterday to wish me a Merry Christmas. She had worked the day at her concierge post in the hotel. The same one she worked at last year.

She was discouraged. Her numbers discouraging. Where last Christmas day she took in $4,500, yesterday only $130.

I always say, “Harry Truman loved Key West and Key West loves Harry Truman.”

Truman made 11 trips to Key West when President. Total days 175. Key West was his vacation spot of choice.

The 33rd President of the United States died this day in 1972. He was 88 yeas old.

Key West will never forget one of our country’s greatest Presidents.

I attended a Catholic college. Took a 2 semester course on the New Testament. Since, I have always thought I knew well the New Testament.

Learned last night I was wrong.

We are all familiar with Isaiah’s sentence: “For unto us a child is born.” I thought that was it. Not. Only the introductory portion of a much longer sentence.

Isaiah 9:69. “For unto us a child is born; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Certain of the appellations sound modern day. Titles some rulers give themselves, or their people give them.

Senator Rand Paul is a horse’s ass. Not sometime. All the time. He knows everything.

The Senator is well educated. A Duke University medical degree.

He always seems contrary.

He was recently interviewed on a Breitbart news show. His Breitbart appearance makes sense. Breitbart is also off base on most things.

The Senator made it clear he was anti-mask, social distancing and washing hands. He views such restrictions as “submissions.” Anti-Constitutional.

His position none are helpful in controlling coronavirus, vaccine is the only help.

He noted that incidents of the virus went up exponentially after the mandates were suggested/imposed. He noted people are dying in increasing numbers.

One comment was that clothe masks are useless. The N95 is the only one that works. The interviewer of course agreed with him. Thought a clothe face mask was no better that cutting up one’s underwear and wearing it as a face mask.

One of the Senator’s most striking statements was “They want you to submit to their will.”

Who is “they?”

The Key West Citizen’s Editorial page cartoons continue to get better. This morning’s gives evidence of how the world changes.

Two persons in the cartoon. Both wearing what appear to be t-shirts with writing on each. The first cartoon is labeled Pre-Covid. The wording: “HUGS NOT DRUGS.” The second labeled Present Day. The wording: “DRUGS NOT HUGS.”

How the world changes. In this instance in less than a year.

I read this morning that U.S. billionaires increased their wealth by $1 trillion since lockdowns.

I am curious whether they will pay any taxes for 2020.

Enjoy your day!