Today is Martin Luther King Day. A federal holiday established by Ronald Reagan.
News reports this morning indicate neither Trump nor Pence will be speaking in commemoration of the day. Not respectful. Gives credence to the belief Trump is racist.
I have selected 6 King quotes to share this day. Each has relevance in some fashion to that which is happening in the U.S. today.
“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
“A lie cannot live.”
“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish as fools.”
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
“A riot is the language of the unheard.”
“Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal.”
Winter is upon Key West! COLD!
In the low 60’s when I was out and about last night. Long pants and a heavy leather jacket. Thank God I had the jacket! Old. At least 25 years. Still does the job, however.
During the evening, the temperature dropped to 56. Wow! I thanked the Lord again that I had a heat system to turn on.
Sixty degrees at 9:30 this morning as I am writing. The high today will be 66.
Back to normal tomorrow. High 76, low 73.
Hot Dog Church my first stop last night. It is held at Aqua’s outside bar Back Door. The wind blew me away. COLD! I did not even finish my first drink. Left.
Hurried to the Chart Room. At least I would be inside.
John bartending. A good crowd. Everyone apparently wanted to get inside out of the cold.
I needed to warm up. Told John no gin. Give me Sambuca. Two sips and my body glowed. Two more Sambucas on top of the first and I glowed!
Met 2 interesting people. Carol and Mike Walsh. From Fort St. Lucie’s. Visiting for a few days. Familiar with the area. Have visited many times.
An added reason for being in Key West the past few days. They closed on a lot they purchased on Big Pine Key. The plan is to build a home on Big Pine some time in the future.
They have been in the roofing business many years. Top end homes and customers in the Palm Beach area. Two children. One in the business.
I look forward to meeting with them again.
Met also Bob Kastner. From the Cleveland area. His 16th visit to Key West. An electrician back home.
Dominos a game I recall seeing played in the parks of New York City and on the streets of Miami’s Little Havana. It is now being played in a limited fashion in Key West.
Manny Madruga was a will liked Key West attorney. Loved. Spent his life time working as a prosecutor. Recognized as a top notch one. Fair, but good.
Died a few years ago.
Three years ago, a domino tournament was started by the Sunset Rotary in his honor. A fundraiser. Receipts go to a scholarship fund and to Suicide Awareness.
The Third Annual Manny Madruga Domino Tournament will be held January 26 at the Southernmost House. The games begin at 5.
The sunscreen battle continues.
Recently, the City Commission voted 7-0 to ban sunscreens containing 2 ingredients that some claim cause damage to our coral reef. A second vote to make the Commission’s decision final will take place early in February.
I have written and spoken against the sunscreen ban. I believe the Commission leaped without taking a sufficient look.
Some claim 2 of the sunscreen blocks damage coral reefs. There is another school that says no way. Hawaii and Palua jumped early also. Last year. Both passed laws banning the sunscreens.
I believe the battle is one unintentionally pushing higher melanoma rates to “maybe” providing coral reef assistance.
In this instance, additional time and study was/is required.
I smile as I share the following. Last week, a study came out advising gashouse gasses were being emitted at an accelerated rate. As a result, ocean waters were warming more rapidly than expected. Two dangers from such are more intense hurricanes and damage to coral reefs.
Look before you leap not a bad admonishment.
A couple of step backs in history.
It was the best of times, it was the worse of times…..The French Revolution occurred. Louis XVI had been King for 19 years. Not a good one. Bad with money and the economy.
On this day, Louis XVI was executed by the Revolutionary government.
Without Vladimir Lenin, the Russia of today might not have been. Lenin was the architect of the Bolshevik Revolution and the first leader of the Soviet Union.
Lenin died this date 1924 at age 54 of a brain hemorrhage.
Dueling bartenders tonight.
Enjoy your day!