Can anyone argue? Prices have obscenely shot up at the same time as quality has declined. Simultaneously in the same period of time, the number of millionaires has tripled.

Addressing quality first, luxury is in a death spiral. Price hikes have been steeper than inflation. What’s worse? You decide. It’s your money.

Re new millionaires, the rich have gotten richer in the U.S. There were 7.64 million millionaires in 2,000. By 2023, that number had tripled.

There will even be a trillionaire sitting at the right hand of President Trump come January 20.

Are we in trouble? You better believe it!

I am an American who loves guacamole. Many do. It soon will be a luxury item. Trump’s immigration and tariff plans will raise the prices you see at stores.

Syracuse graduate and great college and professional basketball player Carmelo Anthony is on the candidate list for the Basketball Hall of Fame.

He will make it!

Syracuse needs another Carmelo Anthony. Even another Jim Boeheim.

The basketball team sucks. Simply stated. Needs to be said. It begins with the coaching. I was against Adrian Autry succeeding Boeheim. Did not think he had it. I was correct. He does not. He has some good players, but cannot get the team to work together effectively. Each week a disaster.

Yesterday the proof of the pudding. Maryland buried, embarrassed and excuse me, crapped all over Syracuse. National TV. The game played at Barclays in New York City. Syracuse was down 43-17 at half time. Lost 87-60.

Syracuse had 21 turnovers. Six in the first 7 minutes. The handwriting was on the wall.

I cannot share one redeeming Syracuse factor. There were none.

Lets switch to the football team.

Syracuse had an excellent year. A 9-3 record. Ranked #21 nationally. Selected for a decent bowl. The Holiday Bowl on December 27. Its opponent though unranked ended the season 8-4. A good game in the making. Expected to be close. Syracuse a mere 2.5 point favorite. Till a day or two ago. Now a 13.5 point favorite.

What disaster befell Washington State? The transfer portal. Twenty two players and five coaches have opted to move on and signed onto the transfer portal. To be precise, only 4 coaches. The head coach’s contract ran out and Washington State did not wish to renew it. Washington State can withdraw from the game. It will have to pay a penalty. If it stays in and lets the bench take a beating, it will receive a hefty payment from the Holiday Bowl.

So far Washington State appears to have decided to play. Money talks!

As I was opposed to Autry, I was and am opposed to the transfer portal. College players get paid for playing now. Not a mere college expense free ride. The transfer portal is a money maker for the players.

The U.S. Supreme Court in 2021 in another screwed up decision said college players could be compensated for the use of their names, images, likeness, and endorse products. Almost like professional players! That is why these college kids jump from one school to another. They make big bucks! Room, board and tuition chicken feed. The money paid through booster gifts and contracts with companies significant. Six figures in many instances.

It hit Washington State the wrong way this week. Player loyalty and school spirit means nothing. I can’t blame the players and coaches, however. The opportunity to make big bucks is available quickly and easily. All legal. I oppose the concept of transfer portal and believe it should be abolished. However as long as it is there, the players should take advantage of it.

I have a bet on the game. Places me in a quandary. The bet is with Steve’s twin brother who is an Alaskan salmon fisherman and Washington State supporter. He suggested we bet the game. We don’t have the money these kids are getting today to participate in a transfer portal so our bet is a mere $1.

How can I lose? Washington State will be fielding its third string team. I want to be fair about it. I have decide to give points. The spread has gone from Syracuse favored by 2.5 points to 13.5. Fisherman brother you just got 13.5 points from me. If Washington State wins, I will be happy to pay the buck to you!

Enjoy your Sunday!

It is that time of the year. Santa Claus time!

What is Santa Claus’ history? From whence did he come?

The story begins December 6, 343 A.D. The man Saint Nicholas of Bari, Bishop of Myra. The inspiration for Santa Claus. Saint Nicholas died on December 6.

His legend did not die with him. As every child knows, Saint Nicholas, also known as Santa Claus, is hauled by reindeer every year to millions of homes which he enters via the chimney to deliver gifts.

It was the Middle Ages. Nicholas was born in Patara, a town in southern Turkey. In due course, he received a large inheritance which as a devout Catholic he helped to use to help the sick, poor and others in need.

He heard of three sisters of marriageable age who faced prostitution because their father could not afford doweries. He opted to help the three sisters by dropping bags of gold down their chimney. One bag landed in a stocking that had been hung by the fireplace to dry. This eventually led to the custom of children hanging stockings, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas.

Stories abound re Nicholas. How a young boy was kidnapped by pirates who made him a slave. He was chosen by the pirate ruler to be his personal cup bearer and spent the next year waiting on the ruler. He brought him wine in a gold cup.

The parents asked Nicholas to obtain the return of their son. Saint Nicholas appeared to the boy, blessed him, and transfixed him back to his parents’ home, gold cup in hand.

Another story involves Nicholas traveling by ship to the Holy Land. A storm almost wrecked the vessel. However as soon as Nicholas admonished the waves, the storm abated.

He became the Bishop of Myra. All the bishops joined to elect him. Myra was the seat of the primary Bishop.

It was not the time to be a prominent Christian, however. Fourth century persecutions by the Roman Empire were rampant. Christians were arrested and tortured. In due course, Nicholas became one. He was kept in chains in prison for years until freed by Emperor Constantine.

It became customary to give gifts to young children on Nicholas’ feast day, December 6. The trend grew in Europe. Children would leave socks or shoes on a chair, or next to the fireplace, and go to sleep on the feast day eve trusting that the next morning they would be filled with gifts.

Over the years, Churches were built named after him. In Belgium 300, Rome 34, the Netherlands 23, and in England more than 400.

Nicholas’ reputation as Saint Nicholas grew, especially in Holland. He was called “Saint Nickolass” or “Sinterklass.” Dutch immigrants took his legend as a gift giver to the U.S. in 1700. There he eventually became known as Santa Claus. A jolly man who brought gifts during the Christmas holiday. The name “Santa Claus” is an American accented version of the Dutch “Sinterklass.”

Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus became one and the same person.

Saint Nicholas Day and Santa Claus Day were left hanging out there on December 6. When Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church in the 16th century, he moved the feast day of Saint Nicholas to December 25 to coincide with Christmas Day.

During the time of Henry VIII, Father Christmas was depicted as a bulky man in fur lined scarlet or green robes. His clothing endorsing the spirit of seasonal good cheer, bringing peace, joy, good food, wine and revelry. An image which has lived on.

Saint Nicholas died at the age of 73 in Myra where he had been Bishop for many years.

Unfortunately, can’t keep all of the people happy with the obvious happy do good life style personified by Saint Nicholas. Pope Paul VI questioned Saint Nichols’ good deeds. He had the Feast of Saint Nicholas dropped from the Catholic calendar in 1969 on the grounds there was insufficient documentary evidence about his life and deeds. Saint Nicholas paid a price for not having a Matthew, Mark, Luke and John walking with him.

Makes no difference. We love Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus and care not what even a Pope has to say about him!

My yesterday simple. A manicure by Tammy. Lucky me…..Carolla was there. My love from Brady’s Irish Pub. The bartender who bakes me Irish scones.

I have not seen her in a long while. My health has limited me to day time basketball games. Carolla works evenings.

We briefly chatted. Told her I would be at Brady’s today at noon for the Syracuse/Maryland basketball game. She said she will stop in to see me.

Bet she brings me Irish scone cookies!

Last night was special. The Three Tenors.

Need I say more. 

Enjoy your day!

I figured it would take one to two months after Trump was in office for chaos to begin. Not so. The country is already there. Trump, together with his partner Elon Musk, effectively blocked an agreed to bill to extend the budget to March 14. If such a bill is not passed by tomorrow, our government closes down.

Trump alone cannot be blamed. He has made Musk a major power and Musk exercised it to block the bill. He went on his station X and pushed for its defeat.

The key issue involved is the debt ceiling. Trump actually wanted it abolished. Then he could spend like crazy and give tax breaks to the rich. Each unpaid for. Just add it to the Nation’s bill. The Trump bill defeated yesterday “suspended the debt” some time in 2027. In effect, gave Trump an open check book during that period of time!

Other things were dropped to make way to give Trump the free financial hand he wanted. One close to my heart. Should be to yours also if you are an understanding and sensitive individual.

The originally agreed to bill provided for pediatric cancer research. Let examine cancer and American children.

Cancer is the leading cause of death for children in the U.S. to the tune of 1,800 deaths per year. The number of our kids coming down with cancer is 17,000 per year. The numbers boil down to 47 children a day becoming cancer ridden. 

Why my special concern? Recall my grandson Robert. Twenty one years old today and a junior at Florida State University. He was born with cancer of the liver. The cancer was larger than the liver itself. He was rushed to Miami Children’s Hospital. Pediatric cancer one of their specialties. He had two major cancer surgeries the first 8 days of his life. He was followed by the Hospital on a frequent basis for the next 15 years.

Children’s Hospital 21 years ago saved Robert’s life. Think how much more advanced they are today. Think how much more advanced they would be if the government funds removed from the Republican bill were left in and passed. The numbers I shared with you earlier would dramatically reduce over the years.

Understand that by suspending the debt limit for two years, Trump would have had the opportunity to provide massive tax cuts for the rich. At the expense of the middle class. At the worst, at the expense of our children.

Even more non-understandable, note how an unelected non-answerable to anyone contributed to this mess. Musk! Politically he is a nothing, except a close friend and contributor to Trump who will benefit greatly by Trump’ Presidency. His pocketbook will grow!

A Republican House Representative who did not vote for the Trump/Musk bill said: “Republicans are stuck on stupid!”

There was an illustration spread all over the internet yesterday. It had Musk acting as a puppeteer pulling the strings on a puppet who unquestionably was Trump.

Trump will not be happy. Musk is making Trump look like his Vice-President with Musk being the President.

Strasbourg, France is a storybook destination this time of the year. The city is called the “Christmas Capital of the World” with story book architecture, beautiful cathedrals, and one of the best holiday markets in Europe. A Santa Claus haven!

I close with Syracuse’s basketball game tomorrow. My team plays Maryland at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn at noon.

Probably a Maryland win. Maryland 9-2 thus far this season. Syracuse 5-5.

Hope springs eternal with me, however. I will be at Brady’s Irish Pub watching the game.

Enjoy your day!

You have not lived till you have pigged out on Italian Christmas cookies!

My wife began baking them about three weeks before Christmas.  Some refrigerated in order to be kept fresh.

They were so good! Initially, I would begin eating them three weeks out. A few each evening. It was like drinking. Start with one, then two, then three, etc. A bad system. I went to bed bloated each evening.

I came up with a plan. Save yourself for one evening. Enjoy them all in one evening. So, 2 or 3 nights before Christmas Eve, I would do it. Layed out a plate of all the Christmas cookies on the kitchen counter and went at it. Pigged out! Loved it! Enjoyed it!

Touched not one cookie before or one cookie after.

Some Key West.

The Turtle Hospital in Marathon serves turtles year round. Its work is heavier during the winter months. Especially when it is very cold in the Cape Cod area. Every year a number of nearly frozen turtles are flown to the Turtle Hospital to literally be saved. After so doing, are flown back north.

Twenty critcally endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles who had been “cold stunned” in New England waters were flown down and are now being warmed and made healthy at the Turtle Hospital.

Movies under the stars! The Monroe County Library and Tropic Cinema are periodically featuring a free outdoor movie. At the Key West Library site on Eaton Street. One half hour after sunset. Free. Suggested you bring your own chair. The Library does not have enough.

The program has been successfully run for three years. The next film is saturday December 21. The movie “Elf.”

The Key West High School played a hell of a basketball game this past week. They played Coral Shores. Defeated Coral Shores 59-21.

Key West was hot! Had a 16-0 run in the first quarter.

We have been warned for years. The water is creeping up on our shores. An example is what occurred to 12 buildings between Miami and Sunny Isles Beach. Involved were condos and luxury hotels. The buildings sank or settled 0.8 to 3.1 inches.

A permanent or temporary bill must be passed by saturday to avoid a Washington government shutdown. Happens every year. Our elected officials wait till the last minute for anything and everything that is important.

House Republicans and Democrats had agreed on a 1,500 page temporary bill which would keep the government open till March 14. A few days early. Great job! Till Trump and Musk got involved. Both claim the bill was loaded with fat. They have told the Republicans to not support it. Chaos the result! Who knows what will occur between now and saturday. 

The deal between the parties had been brokered and worked hard at. There was an agreement till Trump and Musk stepped in. Trump threatens a primary for any Republican who votes for it.

The whole thing sucks! Happens all the time! Wait till the last minute! Even worse this year is Trump and Musk’s involvement. Trump is not even Presidnet yet. Musk is nothing and will be nothing even after Trump is sworn in. He has been given a new fancy title that has not a formal place in our government  and answers to no one except perhaps Trump.

Musk claims he is going to save the government money. He will. He will cut back on regulations in many military and other federal programs. Most of which his companies are heavily financially involved. Every penny he saves the government will result in a profit to him.

Musk is “married” to Trump at the moment. He spends much time residing at Mar-a-Lago. Is always with Trump. Pictured with him everywhere.

The question being asked in Washington is who is running the government. Trump or Musk? Even worse, Trump is being referred to in whispers as “Mr. Vice-President.” 

Trump does not like not being #1. If the Mr. V-P takes hold, Musk could be out on his ass.

Gaetz is in the news again. He resigned his Congressional seat about a month ago in fear the Congressional Ethics Committee investigating him had found him guilty of misdeeds and was going to report them out.  The Committee had made its decision late in November at which time it decided not to release its report. Then the furor came. Why not? A secret vote early in December changed the Committee’s position. However, the Committee never told anyone it was going to release its report.

Yesterday, it did. The report will be released in the next few days. Gaetz’s only comment thus far: I ” partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have.”

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a 35 year old Democratic Representative. Following the Democratic Party defeat in November, the cry went out that the Party needed a generational change. New young faces leading it in Washington. Ocasio-Cortez was one of them.

The Democrats have an Oversight Committee all their own. No Republicans on it. Self-run by the Democrats. A Chairman election was held this week. Ocasio-Cortez a candidate to lead the Committee. Seventy four year old Gerry Connolly her opponent. A man suffering from esophageal cancer. He defeated Ocasio-Clark 131-84.

Appears the Democrats have not seen the handwriting on the wall.

Enjoy your day!

Key West is fortunate. A new couple has opted to purchase their dream home away from home in Key West. Directly across the street from Steve and Cindy’s home on Olivia Street where I am blessed to reside. Our good luck.

We met them last night at The Grand. They reside in Tampa. Originally from my neck of the woods in upstate New York. Chuck originally from Gloversville, Karen Camden. Amazing how we from small towns in the back woods of New York have found our way to one of the nation’s paradises!

Chuck graduated from St. Bonaventure. Interesting. My undergrad work was done at Manhattan College in New York City. Back in our college days, the two schools played basketball against each other. Chuck has the same fanaticism for St. Bonaventure that I have for Syracuse University. If my recollection is correct, Chuck and Karen have two pets . One was or is named Bonnie. The other, I am not sure.

Karen my apologies for not knowing more about you. We spoke of Camden and Fourth Lake. In due course, you will appear here again and I will make up for it.

I look forward to getting to know them better. No question, great people.

Blog late again today. Another hospital test this morning. Then neurophysiotherapy. I needed it today. My back and pelvic area continue to be painful.

On the way home stopped at Publix to pick up a few things. I no longer am surprised at the prices. Everything continues to go up. Nothing down. I take that back. The only thing I saw go down this year was the price of bananas. From 71 cents a pound to 61 cents. They have stayed down a month so far.

Pepsi Cola irritated me today. The six-pack has gone up about 40 cents. And no 2 for 1 available!

Washington is working to balance the budget. Needs to be done in the next few days. They have worked out a plan that is full of goodies for themselves. The new budget if approved is only good till March 14.

Congresspersons have finally given themselves a raise. They have gone without since 2009. My sympathy is with them. They are only paid $174,000. At a time when the average earning salary of Americans is $59,000.

The raise is considered a Cost of Living one. Words used so taxpayers will not consider it a raise. The COL in the proposed budget is 3.2 percent.

My sympathy is lacking because most of them leave Congress far wealthier than when they went in.

The Mayflower arrived this day in 1620 at Plymouth Harbor.

The Bayview Park Christmas Tree is a beauty!

Mother Goose Melodies for Children are older than the U.S. First published in 1719.

Key West’s Nutcracker is enjoying another great Christmas reception. The Nutcracker itself premiered for the first time this day in 1892 in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau the recipient of Trump’s wrath. Why? Because he opposes Trump’s threatened 25 percent tariff. Trudeau even went to Mar-a-Lago and explained his position face to face.

Canada and the U.S. are huge trading partners. Trump is blind. The U.S. imports 60 percent of its crude oil from Canada as well as 85 percent of the electricity it imports. Canada is the largest supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. Note that $2.7 billion worth of goods and services cross the border each day.

Reversing things, Canada is the top export destination for 36 American states.

I have visited Canada many times. Know many people there. Consider them friends. They are a humble people. Recognize they live in the shadow of the “great” United States. I have never heard any of those I know speak ill even slightly of the U.S.

This tariff thing Trump threatens against many nations is a bomb. Its explosion hurts both sides. Not something that should be toyed with.

Enjoy your day!

Gas prices have been steadily coming down the past year. However, they have a fluctuation factor that is difficult to understand. 

Within the past week, gas prices in Key West were around $3.33 a gallon. Yesterday, $3.55 a gallon. 

How does a 2o cent raise come about that swiftly? Even a 10 cent one?

Ran into a dear friend I have not seen in a few years. I was early to Publix the other morning when I heard “Louis!” It was Christine Cordone. Singer and artist. A woman of dual talents. She and husband Larry Smith have returned to their Key West home for the next several months. They have been going back and forth in recent years between Larry’s Pennsylvania family and Key West.

It was good to see Christine again. A uniquely wonderful person!

“Antique” collecting has its value! There are four pairs of Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz. One went on auction sale recently. Sold for $28 million! Wow! The shoes became the most valuable piece of movie memorabilia auctioned. Marilyn Monroe’s white dress blowing upward over a subway grate was previously highest. However, its sale price a meager $5.52 million.

The other three pairs of Dorothy’s shoes are in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. and privately held. Two pair in the Smithsonian and one privately owned. I saw a pair in the Smithsonian in a Washington visit several years ago.

Man flew for the first time this day in 1903. The Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Orville flew while Wilbur ran alongside the plane.

Baseball’s spitball pitch. Outlawed today. Not so back when.

A spitball involved the pitcher wetting the ball with a foreign substance. Generally, spit or petroleum. Such gave the pitcher certain control over the ball.

The spitball came into being in the 1800’s. It was finally banned in 1920. However, there were 17 pitchers who regularly threw a spitball back then. The ban did not apply to them. They were permitted to continue throwing it till they retired.

On this day in 1957, the last episode of “The Nat King Cole Show” was aired on NBC. The show had been cancelled. It could not get a national sponsor. Why? One of the greatest singers of all time! Was it because he was colored?

Key West’s St. Mary’ Star of the Sea formally dedicated its new high school friday. A return for the high school. St. Mary’s last one closed in 1986.

The recent school shooting in Madison, Wisconsin was by a student. A 15 year old female. She killed a teacher and student and wounded 6 before killing herself.

Confidence in U.S. courts has plummeted dramatically in recent years. Unusual. Strange and worrisome. The drop has been especially deep since the Dobbs case which eliminated a woman’s Constitutional right to an abortion.

In the past 4 years, confidence in the courts has dropped 24 percentage points from 55 percent to 35.

Only 35 percent of Americans have faith in our court system today!

Such a low number places the U.S. in line with countries like Myanmar, Venezuela and Syria.

The guy who killed the President of United Health Care, the 2 persons who tried to assassinate Trump, and the teenage girl in Madison who recently killed a teacher and fellow student were not immigrants. They were Americans!

Trump cries immigrants are criminals! Lets start listing them and their crimes. Compare them to those committed by Americans. Lets see if the “immigrants are criminal” representations are correct.

I close with…..This is tuesday! Means The Grand for Happy Hour with my friend Steve Thompson. Hope it will be a different tuesday this week!

Enjoy your day!

Getting old is a benefit in itself. However certain negatives attach. One is falling. All the time.

Nancy Pelosi fell down stairs last week in Luxembourg. A few days later, she had hip replacement surgery in Germany. 

I fell frequently till my heart attack in late January. Three heart surgeries followed. I have only fallen once since. Tripped over furniture on my way to the bathroom 3 in the morning. Fortunately, no fractures. I suspect my new heart valve is the reason I no longer fall as I did prior to getting it.

North Carolina got hit big by Helena. Major damage. Yet only 30 percent of the people have applied for FEMA benefits. One reason is they fear the government will take their property if they do. Stupidity based on false rumors. Many MAGA inspired.

I feel sorry for these people. They are ordinary folk who deserve the care the government can give them in their time of serious need. Yet they are convinced they are doing correct in not taking FEMA benefits. One women said she would take them if they came from her local government. She knew the municipal folk and trusted them. She did not trust the federal government.

Elon Musk is one of the smartest, if not the smartest, U.S. citizens.

He jumped on the Trump bandwagon. Still there. Can’t blame him. He donated $277 million to Trump’s election. His wealth increased by $200 billion over the same period of time.

In some port towns, it’s residents vs. cruise ships. People saying: “We’re going to eradicate them.” People across the U.S. are using their voices and the law to preserve their communities.

Key West took a shot at it several years ago and met with some success. Cut back on the size of the cruise ships permitted. However the big shot corporate bought legislators in Tallahassee gave them a hard time and still do.

Spoke with Buffalo’s Tom and Fran Dixon yesterday. At the end of our conversation, Tom advised he was off to his club to watch the Buffalo/Detroit game. I envied him. There is no more fun than watching a sporting event with those who want your team to win! And Buffalo did. The Bills defeated the Lions 48-42.

Male and female clothes change a bit each year. Not radically, yet just enough to make a difference.

The most notable change this year was in jeans. The newest thing are sweatpant jeans. Look like regular jeans, but supposedly feel more comfortable.

A great American cry for freedom in the Colonies in 1773. The Boston Tea Party!

I do not believe Presidents or leaders of countries should use their position to make money. I believe Trump abuses the policy.

A new user of his position for financial gain has come to light. Makes Trump look like a kid. Syria’s Assad. The man was recently deposed and ran off to Moscow and Putin’s protection.

Many Syrian plants closed under Assad’s regime. Their owners put out on the street. The plants were turned into drug labs. They manufactured drugs which were then sold on the streets of Syria. The primary beneficiary of the drug trade was Assad himself.

Alexander Smirnov is an early 40’s attorney and occasional FBI informant. He was the man who claimed Joe and Hunter Biden received a $5 million bribe each regarding the Ukrainian company Burisma. The bribe was allegedly paid sometime in 2015. Smirnov brought it to light in 2020.

Both Bidens denied the charges. A lengthy investigation proved there was no merit to them. They were phony. Nevertheless Republicans screamed impeach the President. Nothing ever came of the charges.

Smirnov pled guilty recently in federal court acknowledging the bribery scheme was a lie and phony.

My blog late today. Hospital tests this morning and then a late neurophysiotherapy session at noon. My back and pelvic region have been painful since tuesday night when Steve got sick. Not related. Steve is better. Fortunately. I am still hurting, however.

Enjoy your day!

Syracuse blew another basketball game. Will the pain ever end?

Georgetown beat Syracuse 75-71. A close game throughout. Twelve ties and 15 lead changes along the way.

Syracuse lost the game in the last minute. Took 3 shots at the basket. Missed each time. Georgetown recovered the ball and scored.

What a difference a week makes. Last week Syracuse lost to Notre Dame. I was very down on my team afterwards. They sucked! Took few 3’s, made less. Could not make foul shots. I wrote of other negatives also.

Syracuse played much better this week. Made a few 3 pointers. Made foul shots. Could have won. It was that last minute.

Georgetown played well, also. Georgetown is now 8-2, Syracuse 5-5.

Syracuse’s next game is against Maryland at Barclay’s in Brooklyn next Saturday.

The game was emotional for me. The 100th meeting of the two teams. The game played at the Dome. As mentioned in previous blogs, I had a box at the Dome from 1980 on when the Dome opened. Never missed a football or basketball game. Watched special shows like Frank Sinatra. 

My family grew up at the Dome. The only way to describe it. My children were already adults when I first got it. However their kids, my grandchildren, used to join us frequently at the games. From 2 years on. They would play on the box’s carpeted floor as we watched the games. Syracuse became their school also. One went there undergrad, two to law school.

The Dome and box were our home away from home many Saturdays.

I remained at Brady’s following the game for dinner. Prime rib. My first steak/beef meal since getting my teeth. A huge cut, $27.95. No way you can get a prime rib for that price downtown. 

The meal was par excellent!

I caught photos of Trump in a box at the Army-Navy game yesterday. Part of his appointee entourage were with him. Scared me. Made me uncomfortable.

Beware of RFK Jr. Now he’s after polio vaccines. He’ll be after measle vaccines also.

Children and adults will get sick. Many, big time. Epidemics will occur if he is successful in banning these two vaccines and others. Rampant epidemics.

Someone in this morning’s Washington Post suggested “all RFK needs is a wild doctor getup.”

There is an Opinion piece in this morning’s New York Times titled: “I Don’t Want a Pardon From Biden. None of Us Should.” The writer says we should trust the fairness of the justice system.

No way! You forget many judges are political hacks today. No longer can we depend on Justice being blind. If you do, you are naive as hell. Additionally, if Trump has all the 60 odd persons he suggested indicted, think of the mental pressure and legal costs involved.

Wrong!

Biden will fail to have done the correct thing if he does not preemptively pardon those 60 plus.

He pardoned his son. “True pure innocents” are entitled to pardons also!

The first U.S. law school was established this day in 1791 at the University of Virginia.

Surprise! A personal one. An article on the internet. A New York State Park and its lake was described as the “Caribbean of New York.” The Green Lake State Park located just east of Syracuse.

As a youngster, I visited Green Lake often with my parents. While courting my wife, with her parents. Finally, a few times when our children were young.

Beautiful! But then again, all New York State Parks were beautiful. Nevertheless, I am pleased that Green Lakes received the “Caribbean” designation. Its water crystal blue.

Some Key West.

Key West shrimp beds were discovered in 1949. Resulted in the birth of a new Key West industry!

On yesterday’s day in 1888, the construction contract for the Custom House was awarded. The complete construction $107,955.96. It took three years to construct. A short time back then. I have to believe it would take longer today. Why, I’m not sure.

Key West was once a “paradise.” No more. We’ve become a typical Florida waterfront community. “Old Key West” a thing of the past. Little slices remain here and there. Lets keep them.

The Planning Board will on December 19 consider whether to increase maximum height from 40 feet to 60 feet.

Say “no.” Shout it from the roof tops.

Makes me wonder what the Planning Board has to do with the issue. I thought the City Charter specifically required a voter referendum to adjust the building height requirement.

Conchscooter (nickname) and his wife Layne write an exciting column “The Golden Van” which is carried in Feelspot. Yesterday’s column carried an opening statement that amused me. Actually nothing special. A simple sentence. But, it grabbed me. Titled Outdoor Ships: “When Layne told me there was an outdoor ship museum I asked what kind of people use indoor ships? She was not amused…..”

I close with my friend Theos in Greece.

Theos cell phoned me from Greece a few days ago. Just hello, how are you…..that sort of thing. Love the guy! Never forgets me.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Basketball history will be made today. Two  powerful basketball giants meet for the 100th time. Syracuse and Georgetown will go at it beginning at 2:30 in the Syracuse Dome.

Their first game almost 100 years ago in 1929. Of the 99 games played thus far, Syracuse has an edge in wins 54-45.

Georgetown on paper appears the better team this season with a 7-2 record. Syracuse is 5-4.

The Dome will be packed. There will not be an empty seat. Wish I was there. I will be watching from Brady’s Irish Pub in the back room in a kitchen chair. Me alone with a sole TV set. My back cannot handle bar stools yet.

The competition between the two teams has been fierce for many years. The ferocity began at the beginning of the Big East Basketball Conference in 1979. Syracuse and Georgetown were members. The Carrier Dome opened in 1980. I had a 16 seat box with a bar in the new Carrier Dome. My interest in the Syracuse/Georgetown competition began in 1980.

Even the coaches disliked each other. It was referred to as a mutual feeling of hatred. Jim Boeheim and John Thompson never talked in all the years they competed. Their dislike for each other was common knowledge.

They became friends a couple of years after Thompson retired. Boeheim was still coaching. They ran into each other at a coach’s convention and started talking. Out of that conversation developed one of the closest relationships in the sport. The two could not even figure out why they had disliked each other. They became as close as peas in a pod as the saying goes. Did personal and basketball things together thereafter.

The game is on the ACC Network. I am anxious for 2:30 to arrive.

Enjoy your day! I am mine, win or lose!

Love springs eternal!

Marjorie Fiterman and Bernie Littman reside in a Philadelphia nursing home. They are 102 and 100 respectively. Their long time spouses have died.

They married. Turns out Marjorie and Bernie are the world’s oldest newly weds! Bless them! May they enjoy the time they have left.

Steve slept in his own bed last night. He was discharged from the Miami hospital early evening and he and Cindy drove back last night. 

I spoke briefly with him on the telephone last night while they were going through Key Largo and spoke with him at length this morning. The diagnosis was to the effect the doctors did not know what caused him to pass out, etc. He said they tested the hell out of him. Did a ton of things. The bottom line they have to have had at him while he was experiencing the problem to come up with a diagnosis. They told him to see a neurologist in Key West.

He feels terrific. Sounds vibrant.

My advice to him was to get his ass to a doctor in Key West.

Today is Friday the 13th. There was a time people were concerned with the day. Superstitions ran high! Does the day affect you?

Cool today. Six am and 65 degrees. High will only be 74. My cut-off temperature. Anything below is cold. You have to live in Key West year round to appreciate what I have written in this regard.

The government appears to be screwing around with Social Security. Not even waiting for Trump to do so.

Effective January 1, 2025, if a person opts to take early payment, the age continues to be 62. However, the benefit will be reduced by 30 percent.

The full retirement age will be 67.

However, please check with Social Security directly as to the details involved. There are more I suspect. It is complex. Even I could not understand the variances.

In Key West, the Social Security office in the Federal Building on Simonton street is extremely cooperative. I have sat with them several times over the years.

On this day in 1636, the Massachusetts Bay Colony organized three militia units to defend the colony against the Pequot Indians.

The first days of organized Indian abuse in the New World.

The Colonists cut off Indian heads and used them as bowling balls.

James Dean was a nobody this day in 1950. He got his first professional job. He appeared in a Pepsi advertisement.

Class act. The 1956 Brooklyn Dodgers traded Jackie Robinson to the New York Giants for a pitcher and $35,000. Robinson retired rather than be traded.

On this day in 1942, Joseph Goebbels complained of Italian treatment of Jews: “The Italians are extremely lax in their treatment of Jews. They protect Italian Jews both in Tunis and occupied France and won’t permit their being drafted for work or compelled to wear the Star of David.”

A local problem requiring an answer. Drones. Drones in New Jersey? Large ones. The size of a car. They have been in the news for days. What are they? What is the government doing about them?

No news is not good news. People are getting nervous.

Some Trump items.

Time Magazine has designated Trump as Man of the Year.

Trump campaigned on the cry he would bring grocery prices down.  Now he is backtracking. Slowly, but without question. His position now is it is hard to bring grocery costs down fast.

The last President to ring the bell to open the New York Stock Exchange was Ronald Reagan. Trump rang it yesterday.

What is this bullshit the FBI had only 3 informants at the Capitol on January 6? The Inspector General issued a report yesterday there were 29.

Game playing by MAGA Republicans? Lies?

Strange. Trump wants to pardon January 6 rioters on day one. What does that say to those of us who saw what we saw on TV and believe January 6 was not a righteous event? It was wrong, it was an insurrection. There is no other way to view it.

I close with a local occurrence which gives me concern.

Brian Barroso was selected as Key West City Manager yesterday. A close vote. He was elected 4-3.

Barroso is presently a banker. He has been one since 2004. From 2004-2014 in Key West. For the past 10 years since 2014, in North Carolina.

When in Key West, he was a Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority board member and treasurer, an adjunct professor at the College of the Florida Keys, and a Key West Chamber of Commerce board member.

He obviously has connections in “high places.” Does that qualify him to be City Manager?

Beginning salary is $215,000. 

Enjoy your day!