Joe Manchin is returning to the limelight. 

He is up for reelection in West Virginia in 2024. A Republican state. Manchin is the last major Democratic office holder in West Virginia. He has a battle on his hands.

West Virginia is a coal state. Manchin politically and for his pocketbook a coal supporter. He does not support Biden’s plan to limit greenhouse pollution for existing power plants.

Check out the monies he and his family make from coal involved enterprises. Also look back a few years to see the millions his daughter made in the pharmaceutical field.

Manchin is flexing his power again. He has vowed to  oppose all of Biden’s EPA nominees. Spelled it out clearly: Each and every nominee.

Frank Sinatra died on yesterday’s date in 1998 at 82 of a heart attack. One of the greats in the musical and acting fields. He did it “his way.”

The AT&T Byron Nelson Golf Tournament was won yesterday by Jason Day. His first win in 5 years. Vertigo and back problems had affected his play.

This year however he began playing better in each succeeding tournament. The writing was on the wall. It was just a question of time before he would be a winner again.

His victory the 13th of his career. His pay day $1.7 million.

The photo is of me with my good friend Greece’s Theos Markis. Taken about 3 weeks ago in the parking lot of 24 North. The painting of course a Jack Baron one. Theos’ wife Dina the photographer.

Theos and Dina are world travelers. Visit Key West at least twice a year.

Theos a collector. He has paintings from all over the world. He has visited every art gallery in Key West to Islamorada over the years. Knows dealers and artists intimately.

I turned Theos on to Jack Baron.

Note the painting in the photo is framed. Rarely did Baron frame his works as we understand framing. Jack was frugal. Frames were expensive and a lot of work, expensive to ship because of weight, etc. So he changed his modus operandi. He bought thin strips of wood and made the frames. He purchased rolls of canvas and applied them to the thin light frames he had put together. 

When he painted, he painted covering the frames so the frame appeared part of the painting. Check out the other Baron paintings I have recently shown to fully understand.

The painting in the photo was done in 1991. The frame wood. Jack painted it brown. Over the years it has dried out and sliver pieces were falling out.

Theos has taken the painting back to Greece with him to reframe. 

Rumor has it Syracuse’s new basketball coach Adrian Autry is abandoning the zone defense and will play man to man.

It is time.

Boeheim should have abandoned his famed “zone defense” several years ago. He had relied on it forever with great success till recent years. However, opposing coaches finally figured out how to beat the zone. Thereby causing Syracuse to have terrible seasons in recent years.

Republicans are putting our standard of living at risk. They appear to have convinced themselves a sovereign default is no big deal.

Well, here is what will happen if there is a government default.

   *   The dollar’s status as the world’s reserve currency would be thrashed, Republicans are playing Russian roulette. Russia and China will strongly benefit.

   *   Inflation would spike.

   *   Interest rates rise.

   *   Social Security payments stop.

   *   Medicare payments stop.

   *   Military and government employees not paid.

   *   Businesses will not be able to borrow operating capital from banks.

   *   A world wide recession.

The cuts the Republicans want in existing programs would hurt the poor and middle class, while at the same time benefit corporations and the wealthy.

The debt ceiling is a problem with dire consequences. Republicans don’t seem to care. If they succeed, no question it will hurt Biden and the Democrat Party. 

People do not seem to understand the problem. If the ceiling collapses, they will. To everyone’s detriment.

Republicans will suffer greatly. Americans are not stupid, though in many instances it takes time for them to understand what is going on. The American people will see fault lies with the Republicans. They will remember for a generation to come. It will take forever for the Republican Party to return to favor.

Another doctor visit today at 1. Heart doctor. Echo test results not good. Next step? Getting old does have its drawbacks.

Enjoy your day!