Key West Lou @keywestlou - Tumblr Blog

POLICE ABUSE CHANGE DOUBTFUL

POLICE ABUSE CHANGE DOUBTFUL - https://keywestlou.com/police-abuse-change-doubtful/The cry something must be done rises again. The shout the same following any abnormal happening. I doubt anything significant will occur. If the deaths of 20 six year olds in a school shooting did not bring forth changes, police killings of innocents will not also. I recognize Biden had some success re mass shooting last year. A credible result. Too little too late however. Not his fault. Biden is to be commended. The political hacks running this country are to blame. A question arises re Tyre Nichols. What was the traffic stop involved? The public has not been told. The video begins with his car door open and the police pulling him out of his vehicle. Why the stop? Most police today are authoritarian figures like some of our political leaders and those who aspire to political leadership. Been this way for years. Going to take years to correct, if at all. Just as gun safety took 30 years to correct and then only in a miniscule fashion. Tucker Carlson continues to manifest he's crazy. Note, he has Presidential aspirations. An example of how his mind works. He says U.S. troops should invade and liberate Canada. In order to depose Justin Trudeau who he compares to a dictator. One reason being Trudeau's position re COVID vaccine shots. Trudeau favored them, Carlson did not. Now several years later, Carlson suggests a Bay of Pigs operation to get rid of Trudeau. He failed to mention, perhaps did not recall, that the Bay of Pigs failed. The Bay of Pigs idea reflects Carlson's belief that Canada is becoming a Cuba. Carlson complained the U.S. was spending all its money "to liberate Ukraine." He recommends the U.S. send money and arms north to liberate Canada from Trudeau. He closed his comments with: "And I mean it!" Cold yesterday. Made a bank stop. Then to Tammy for a pedicure and manicure. Followed by a visit with Corey at the library. Cold spell behind us. High today 77. The night low 73. I was pulling out of a parking spot yesterday when a homeless woman stopped me. She wanted to compliment my car. I drive a 13 year old Volkswagen convertible. The blue and white color is the thing. A month does not go by that some woman will stop me to say how much she enjoys the colors of the car. Amazing! No man has ever stopped me. The woman's name Bernadette. Attractive. Sixty seven. We enjoyed a brief conversation. She had a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses. Gave me one. Told me it was to express support for the Ukraine effort. Advised yellow was the country's color and would I remember to support the Ukraine effort. Told her I already did. The yellow rose sits in a vase on my kitchen cupboard. Syracuse/Virginia Tech tonight at 7. I hope I do not sit through another painful experience. The losses hurt. Enjoy your day!

TODAY IS INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY

TODAY IS INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY - https://keywestlou.com/today-is-international-holocaust-remembrance-day/Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. It represents not the day Auschwitz was opened. Rather the day it ceased to be a Nazi concentration day. It was on this day in 1945 that Soviet troops liberated the Nazi concentration camps at Auschwitz and Birkenau in Poland. Morning Joe's Joe Scarborough is at Auschwitz today. I caught the early part of his show. What he is doing this morning is a respectful reminder of the place and the story of what occurred there. Especially needed in these times when anti-Semitism is on the rise world wide. Donald Trump bears significant responsibility for the renewal of ant-Semitism in the U.S. His conduct has fueled others who are haters of Jews, blacks, etc. to fearlessly go public. He has added fuel to warm embers which had layed smoldering for decades. It could happen again. On January 10, Tyre Nicholas was stopped by Memphis police while driving. Tyre a 29 year old black man. Five Memphis police officers beat him for 3 minutes. The beating leading to his death 3 days later. All five police officers are black. The five black officers were charged yesterday with murder. Sixteen days following the beating. Black officers beating a black motorist. Not white officers. Reveals clearly that all police officers, regardless of color, are prone to beat blacks. The beating of blacks should be treated as a police problem, not a white police problem. There has to be something inherently wrong in police raining for these beatings to occur. Something that corrupts of the minds of police officers regardless of their color. An additional thought. The levying of the murder charge in 16 days swift. Like a race to justice. If the officers were white, would the charges have been brought so quickly? Bigotry is many faceted. Key West continues to fume re the price of the Buffet tickets at the February Amphitheater show. Pricing totally out of hand. Sit on the lawn in the high hundreds. Sit in a reserved chair, the thousands. Three comments in this morning's Citizens' Voice reflect the passions involved. "Too bad the local Key West businesses did not get the rights to run the Amphitheater. All the concerts that are back to back to back, and on, have those profits going to out of town owners while our tiny island gets thrashed." "I tried to purchase tickets to the Jimmy Buffett concert. Instead of the advertised price, Ticketmaster had lawn seats available at $600 a ticket and reserve seating available at $5,500 a ticket. Key West residents will never be able to afford Jimmy Buffett tickets." "The Coffee Butler Amphitheater has become a den of scalpers. It is any wonder that everything in town has become a cut-throat business venture. Neighborhoods turning into expensive hotels, selling out for the almighty buckaroo. A sad state of affairs, see you all at the show; I'll wave." Syracuse/Virginia Tech tomorrow night at 7. Syracuse has begun its backward slide again. Woe is the season! Cold outside!!! I mentioned last weekend it would be cold thursday and friday. Seventy one yesterday. Today will not get out of the '60s. I stepped outside around 7 and rushed back in. Cold!!!!!!! Enjoy your day!

HUMAN SPERM DRIVEN WILD

HUMAN SPERM DRIVEN WILD - https://keywestlou.com/human-sperm-driven-wild/Amazing what I learn researching for this blog. Today, that which drives human sperm wild. The smell of lilies of the valley. Sperms have noses which they use to navigate toward a woman's egg. Researchers experimented with a range of floral fragrances and lilies of the valley came out on top. The flower's fragrance causes sperm to "wriggle" in the same direction at twice the normal speed. Research was carried out at Ruhr University in Germany in 2003. A new sperm protein hOR17-4 was discovered. The new sperm protein acted as a receptor for sperm, the same way protein sensors in the nose detect smells. The net effect causes the sperm to double its speed and change its undirected swimming to direct movement. The sperm accordingly was able to wag its tail harder. And get to the female egg better! The discovery has assisted in fertility treatment. It turns sperm into Olympian Mark Spitzes. Whenever I enter Key West's Klu Klux Klan into a discussion, there is amazement. Few are aware what a bastion of Klanism Key West was in the 1920's. Powerful best describes it. An example is this day in 1923 in Key West. The Klan paraded in full, white robe regalia with a fiery cross heading the procession. They rode through town town in 18 automobiles without stopping and without a word being spoken. The vehicles were all the same make and their license plates were masked. Trump is returning to Facebook and Instagram. He already has been welcomed back to Twitter. His 2 year suspension has been lifted. A bonanza in the making for Facebook. Facebook needs the money. An overall disgrace. The three social media sites mentioned will now be complicit in the spread of Trump's hate and extremes. Golf is an honest game. Cheating rare. Players, whether professional or amateur, play by the rules and penalize themselves for game violations. Some do not, however. Like Donald Trump. Among golfers, a player who cheats is looked down upon. Trump played in a Florida tournament over the weekend. He lost. He claims he won. Other players say he did not win. Trump continues to claim he did. Others say he can only be claiming victory by having cheated. Bess Levin became aware of the story. She wrote an article concerning his cheating in Vanity Fair: Trump Claims Winning A Golf Tournament He Appears To Have Cheated In Makes Him Unfit To Be President. I agree. Levin worked hard over the weekend. Another liar story. This one involving George Santos. Levin revealed more Santos lies: An assassination attempt, a 5th Avenue mugging, and 300 drag shows a day in New York City schools. What an imagination the man has! Enough for today. I have a noon haircut appointment. Enjoy your day!

HOMOSEXUALITY IS NOT A CRIME, WE’RE ALL GOD’S CHILDREN…..POPE FRANCIS

HOMOSEXUALITY IS NOT A CRIME, WE’RE ALL GOD’S CHILDREN…..POPE FRANCIS - https://keywestlou.com/homosexuality-is-not-a-crime-were-all-gods-children-pope-francis/In an interview with the Associated Press, Pope Francis criticized laws criminalizing homosexuality and called on bishops to welcome LGBTQ people. Francis said, "Homosexuality is not a crime, we're all children of God." I knew little of Ticketmaster prior to its fiasco here in Key West with ticket sales for the Jimmy Buffett event. What I am learning is an eye opener. Ticketmaster is an American ticket sales and distribution company whose business is world wide. I wrote yesterday how horrible the price of the Buffet tickets have become. Prices shooting up like a rocket to the moon. Turns out yesterday the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee held a 3 hour hearing re Ticketmaster and Live Nation the company it merged with in 2010. The purpose of the hearing was to examine Ticketmaster's selling methods in the wake of last year's Taylor Swift debacle. The hearing was bipartisan. Truly so. Been years since any hearing can be described as such. Such reflects how sensitive and horrific Ticketmaster's actions are considered. Senators from both sides were highly critical of Ticketmaster, suggesting it is a monopoly and probed whether a lack of competition in the ticketing industry had unfairly hurt customers. The questioning was "blistering." Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Ticketmaster's merger partner Live Nation had "absolutely unified both parties." Something most have thought would never happen again. Today's Citizens' Voice had 2 comments relating to Ticketmaster. "How do these new music festivals during peak season, when hotels would be full anyway, benefit anyone but the organizer? Instead of taking tours, visiting local bars, music venues and restaurants, they are at the Amphitheater. Without the event, hotels would still be full and local businesses making money." "Coffee Butler Amphitheater is owned by the City of Key West and managed by Rams Head. The City needs to amend the management contract and direct Rams Head to sell tickets first to the residents of Key West (who own the venue) and then a day or two later can sell the remaining tickets." Key Westers are properly upset. The Jimmy Buffett show a screw job and rip off. When the amphitheater was in the planning stage, many questioned the value of one. Did Key West need one? Especially large enough to handle an attendance of 3,500. Greed took over. At which point the amphitheater was made to look like the second coming of Christ. Ben Harrison's new musical showcases an all star band. Harrison's event "El Isleno 1921: The Untold Key West Story" runs at the Fringe Theater 2/15-2/25. Local buzz is to the effect the show is exceptional. Opening night is already sold out. Money floating in Keys waters! Yesterday, 140 pounds of cocaine washed up on Lower Keys shores. Estimated value $2 million. Discovery of documents remind me of the religious song Onward Christian Soldiers. They keep popping up. Always more. Never ending. First it was Trump. Then Biden. Yesterday Pence. This morning Carter. Carter returned them immediately and apparently nothing intentional was involved. Who is next? I can see Obama, Bush, etc. All of them! The problem, except for Trump, appears to be innocent mistake. Except for Trump, all others returned on discovery. Germany has agreed to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. Word is Biden will announce at noon today the U.S. will send Abrams tanks. There has been a steady increase in military hardware to the Ukraine over the past year. Next war item are planes. Do the tanks, and planes if so, supplied by NATO forces make the creep towards a war with Russia an actual leap into outright combat? We keep getting closer. Speaker McCarthy refuses to reappoint Reps. Schiff and Swalwell to the House Intelligence Committee. McCarthy says his decision is "not anything political, integrity matters." What a joke! Blatant lie and bullshit on its face. The real reason is twofold. Both men sat on the January 6 Committee and are anti-Trump. The other is Marjorie Taylor Greene. McCarthy is giving her her pound of flesh. McCarthy's decision political retribution at its worst. Enjoy your day!

SOUR TASTE IN EVERYONE’S MOUTH

SOUR TASTE IN EVERYONE’S MOUTH - https://keywestlou.com/sour-taste-in-everyones-mouth/Furor in the streets. Rebellious talk. Key Westers upset! The issue: Cost of tickets for Jimmy Buffett show at the Amphitheater 2/9 and 2/11. Being sold via Ticketmaster. First appeared as available last week at $99 for lawn and $149 for reserved seating. One week later, price of tickets now $475 for lawn and $3,700 for VIP seating. Current prices noted in a Citizens' Voice comment this morning. I wrote in my 1/18 blog that the opening prices were outlandish. In effect, screwing Key Westers. Remember, Key West built the Amphitheater. The 3,500 available seating area apparently not for locals. I was referring to the opening prices. The new ones beyond the reach of most locals. The few that can afford that kind of money will not spend it for a few hours of Buffett splendor. If the Key West Citizen wants to perform a service for its readers, it should do an investigatory story of how ticket sales came to be in the hands of Ticketmaster and how much the City gets as their cut. I'm sure Key West participates. If there is anything where people have a right to know, the pricing of Amphitheater tickets is the issue! I concluded in my 1/18 blog that Ticketmaster's openings cost for tickets left a sour taste in my mouth. I close today's blog with ".....it leaves a sour taste in everyone's mouth!" A doctor visit yesterday with my primary care physician Dr. Norris. First time in 7 months. The July Tampa operation left me down on the medical profession in general. I had been seeing tons of doctors. The way it is when you are in your mid 80's. So I said, Screw it! Stop doctoring. Does not make sense. I know it. My visit yesterday was recognition of my own stupidity. Ergo, I am back to doctoring. Next visit an appointment with my heart doctor. It was close to 5 when I left he doctor's office. Decided to grab a dinner out somewhere. Decided on Happy Hour at Roostica. I no longer drink. However the Happy Hour menu has been praised forever it seems by many. Time for me to try it. A good deal! I enjoyed limoncello wings. One of my favorites and a diet Pepsi. Total bill $13. I was impressed the place was almost completely full. People doing the specials and regular menu. I have always recommended Roostica. Best Italian restaurant in the area. The sauce is like my grandmother made. 'Nuff said. On this day in 1898, the Battleship Maine was ordered to sail to its death. It was anchored off the Tortugas when ordered to Havana Harbor where it ultimately was blown up. The death of the Maine gave birth to the Spanish-American War. Joseph Morton was an American war correspondent for the Associated Press in the European Theater during World War II. He was captured by German soldiers on 12/26/1944 while in a log cabin high on a mountain in Slovakia with 15 Allied intelligence officers. Morton was covering a U.S. operation for a story. Morton had war correspondent ID requiring him to be treated as a prisoner of war according to the Geneva Convention. The SS for some reason had ordered the summary execution of all "Allied commandos." Morton obviously was not one. Nevertheless, Morton was executed by firing squad this day in 1945 at Mauthausen-Gusen Concentration Camp. Morton was the only Allied correspondent to be executed by the Axis during World War II. Another shooting. In California. The second in days. The mass shooting occurred in Half Moon Bay in two separate localities. Seven persons were killed. It is time to put an end to these slayings. I know, I am being repetitive as well as most of the U.S. population. Though Biden accomplished something re guns for the first time in 30 years, more has yet to be done. The U.S. is the only nation in the industrialized world that has the mass shooting problem. We have not been able to clean up the mess because of the Republican Party. Their own members even are unable to make the party move. The gun manufacturers own the Republican Party. Additionally, gun manufacturers for years have been brain washing gun purchasers. It has to stop! Blood should not flow on American streets! Love Bess Levin! She writes well. No bullshit. Calls them as she sees 'em. Levin wrote in Vanity Fair 1/23 re Ron DeSantis. The article titled "Ron DeSantis Believes In Free Speech As Long As You Only Speak About The Awesomeness Of Straight White People." How can DeSantis be elected President if he hates blacks? Is he building a mountain too high to climb? American voters are not stupid as was proven by the November 2022 election results. The man is crazy! I refer to George Santos. The latest revelation: He planned an engagement dinner to a man while married to a woman. The invitation to the dinner read: "Pedro and I have decided to join our tooth brushes." Enjoy your day!

STREET CARS MAKING A RESURGENCE

STREET CARS MAKING A RESURGENCE - https://keywestlou.com/street-cars-making-a-resurgence/Streetcars are making a resurgence across the United States. Public transportation of long ago is returning. The resurgence is most obvious in Omaha, Nebraska where the City Council recently voted to proceed with such a project. Warren Buffet is a local resident and opposed the rebirth of street cars in Omaha. His voice though heard was not heeded. The project as approved will cost $306 million. Buffett considered the plan too expensive and inflexible. San Francisco has always had a street car system. Recall the many you have seen in movies involving San Francisco. The street car line there is the historic F Line. I am old enough to recall street cars. We had them in Utica, NY. I rode them in the late 1930's. The demise of the street cars came with the birth of buses. Yesterday was special. I did not know how special it would be till actually having experienced it. Steve and Cindy Thompson invited me over to meet the family. Family involved Rich and Linda Thompson from Alaska and Orlando, Rich and Steve's sister "Sam" from Seattle, and Cindy's sister Christine who resides in Key West. I was the sole outsider. The afternoon the most memorable I have spent in Key West. What a wonderful group of people! Rich and Steve are twins. You would never know it. I think the term is fraternal. Do not look alike at all. However have similar dispositions. If you know Steve, then you are aware what a great guy Rich is. Rich and Linda spend 6 months a year in Alaska and six months in Orlando where they have had a second home for more than 25 years. Rich is an Alaskan fisherman. Salmon and halibut the primary catch. Rich showed me a couple of pictures of halibut he had caught. Normally, 20-30 pounds. The ones he showed me had to be pushing 1,000 or better. They were bigger than many great white sharks. He will be sending me a pic and I will publish it when received. Probably next week. I received a salmon education. Many types. I knew from nothing. He had brought with him from Alaska certain salmon which he prepared and cooked for our entre. Two types. White and red king salmon. Delicious! Rich and Steve have a sister they call Sam. Her real name Sandra. A Seattle resident. Retired after 21 years with the Seattle law firm Perkins, Coie. Considered smart. Not because of her employment. Rather her experience in 1997 as when she appeared on Jeopardy. At "half time," she was ahead of the other contestants. Thought she had it won. So did her family. Got buried in the second half, however. Still considered intelligent by her siblings, however. I thought she was so merely based on our conversations over the afternoon. I have forgotten neither Linda nor Christine. Each contributors in their own way. Nor is Cindy forgotten. A smart tough woman. She and Steve must have had an exciting time together over the years. Searching for a word or two to express my thoughts re the afternoon succinctly, all I can come up with is these were "real people." A long time since I have been with such a group. Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Thousands marched throughout the U.S. in protest of its overturn. The Republicans finally won in their efforts to get rid of Roe. Turns out it is the worst political mistake made by either party in years. Even women who have supported right to life for years, think the Supreme Court decision wrong. Their anti-life feelings re Roe had minimized with the years. The right to protect and control their bodies overcame political and religious fanaticism. The warm weather will slowly turn cold this week. Cold fronts coming in. By thursday night and during friday, temperatures will be in the 50's. The temperatures will remain cold for a few days. Enjoy your day!

STEVE THOMPSON’S FAMILY VISITING FROM ALASKA AND WASHIGTON STATE

STEVE THOMPSON’S FAMILY VISITING FROM ALASKA AND WASHIGTON STATE - https://keywestlou.com/steve-thompsons-family-visiting-from-alaska-and-washigton-state/The Thompson home is full. Steve and Cindy ae entertaining Steve's bother Rich and his wife from Alaska and his sister "Sam" from Washington State. Party time in the Thompson household! I plan on stopping by this afternoon to meet them. Very busy yesterday. The Syracuse/Georgia Tech basketball game. Syracuse won 80-63. The game started off slowly for Syracuse. As all games have this season, Syracuse immediately ell behind by 11 points. Fortunately, the Syracuse defense tightened up and the ball began finding the hoop leading to a Syracuse 17 point victory. The team played well. Especially, Joe Girard. He had a stellar day. Sparked the team. Scored 18 first half points. Twenty eight total. Attempted 10 3 point shots. Made 6. Sloan showed up as the game was ending. S is a marvel! Been helping me for years. I could not do without her. She is the technical brains behind the blog. Last night was dinner with Jean and Joe Thornton at La Te Da. Meal and company the best. I enjoyed a bone sticking main course. Meat loaf. Oh, so good! Chris stopped by a couple of times. Chris owns La Te Da. I have known him more that 20 years. First met when he owned Antonia's. He steadily over the years has been refining the La Te Da property. The result a comfortable beauty. The quality of the food and surroundings match. The only negative of the evening was the waiter knocked over a large glass of water on me. I finished the meal soaking wet from the waist down. The bottom half of my shirt and shorts. A day in history which was a big one for Key West and the railroad industry. It occurred this day in 1912. Henry Flagler was on the first train to arrive from the mainland in Key West. Its arrival officially opened the Overseas Extension of the Florida East Coast Railroad. A large crowd greeted Flagler and the train in Key West. Another shooting! Twelve hours ago in Monterey, California, at a ballroom dance event. Ten dead, ten injured. One gun man. Male. Still at large. Nothing further known concerning him at this time. Jean, Joe nd I spoke of many things last night. One, the price of eggs. Prices keep rising. Cause the Asian flu outbreak in the U.S. which infects chickens. Price of eggs went up 11 percent just in the month connecting November and December. Overall, the price went up 59.9 percent last year. Speaker McCarthy keeps getting battered. Deservedly so. Syndicated columnist Stephen V. Roberts wrote in "The Price of Pride" yesterday: "Kevin McCarthy finally claimed the House speakership after 15 embarrassing ballots, but it was a hollow and hazardous victory. By caving to the demands of his own party's hardliners, he obtained the title, but diminished its value. He's turned himself, and his office, over to the hostage takers, and he's put the country's financial future at risk." Roberts quoted Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern: McCarthy has "given everything including his dignity." So sayeth the truth. Enjoy your Sunday!

I TOLD YOU I WAS SICK

I TOLD YOU I WAS SICK - https://keywestlou.com/i-told-you-i-was-sick-2/One of the first things a visitor to Key West learns is of the Key West Cemetery. Especially the writing on some of the stones. The most famous is "I Told You I Was Sick." Amusing. Can't help but laugh. There are other noteworthy sayings. Like "I Always Dreamed Of Owning A Small Piece of Key West." Message from Garcia: Visit the Cemetery. Take a leisurely walk through. The messages tell the Key West story. Some jobs have their scary moments. Take the engineers operating a train engine over a new bridge and tracks for the first time. The purpose of the trip to determine if the the tracks and bridge are safe. Such occurred this day in 1912. Florida East Coast Railroad engine #201 arrived in Key West at 2:45 am. It was the first engine and crew to cross the Bahia Honda bridge. The purpose of the trip was to test new tracks in the Lower Keys. Can you imagine if the tracks or bridge failed? The engineers and crew must have made the trip with their hearts in their throats. The Supreme Court continues to be embarrassed by the leak. Now it is the formal report of the investigation of the leak. I wrote yesterday how it sucked, its weaknesses. One weakness mentioned was the Justices were not interviewed. That one hit the wall. Immediate adverse clamoring that the Justices were given a pass. The Court's response was swift. Yesterday, it was revealed the Justices were informally questioned. No statement taken from any of them nor affidavits attesting to the veracity of what they were saying. Which contributes further to the stink arising out of the leak. Re the leak, Joan Biskespic, CNN Senior Supreme Court Analyst, wrote on 1/20: "Overall, it is paradoxical that an institution that cloaks itself in secrecy and casts itself above other Washington institutions would be exposed on such a sieve." The Supreme Court is supposedly most knowledgeable and honest. No Bible needed with them. Till recently. Its human weaknesses now being exposed. There is a way to have conducted an inquiry as to the source of the leak. One the Justices had to know about. One most attorneys are. Whenever something of magnitude arises requiring investigation and so there will be neither conflict nor question as to method or result is to hire a major law firm with experience in such investigations. There are respected firms nationally that specialize in such work. It's not too late. The Court should retain one to do the job. even to the extent of deposing the Justices. America has lost faith in one of its most cherished and respected institutions. Support for Ukraine is showing a crack in the dyke this week. First time. Ukraine says it needs heavy tanks. Leopard 2 tanks. There are 2,000 sitting in NATO European countries. Ukraine says the war is at a point where the tanks are needed in order to have continued success. No tanks and Ukraine may be buried. Euro NATO with one exception is willing to do what it can. Those that have Leopard tanks are willing to share. The one exception is Germany. Germany has been talking a big game throughout the war about the necessity to support Ukraine. Problem is Germany. Germany has not put its money and equipment where its mouth is. They have done less than many. Germany has the largest number of Leopard tanks in Europe. They say they are willing to share if the U.S. says it is ok and will do similar sharing. The U.S. has not openly taken a position. Note however the U.S. has given more in money and equipment than any other nation. Biden's problem is he does not want to give Putin a reason to say NATO has stepped over the line. Which means Putin will attack other European nations and perhaps even the U.S. We're talking nuclear war if such occurs. The U.S. does not have Leopard tanks. It does have a comparable, however. In huge numbers. Nine thousand to be exact. The MI Abraham tank. Assume for the moment, Germany and the U.S. ship the tanks requested to Ukraine. Such it is claimed will make it possible for Ukraine to win their nation back. I don't know. Beyond my mental capacities. One thing I believe however is that the war will only be won when Ukraine is able to physically attack Russia itself. Bomb Russian cities. Make the Russian people suffer. As the Allies did in World War II with Germany. Heavy are the burdens resting on Biden's shoulders. May God show him the correct path. Busy day ahead. Syracuse and Georgia Tech at noon. Who knows who will win? I have given up with predictions. Sloan thereafter. Tonight, dinner at La Te Da with Jean and Joe Thornton. Enjoy your day!

SHORTY’S CAFE KEY WEST 1970’s-1980’s

SHORTY’S CAFE KEY WEST 1970’s-1980’s - https://keywestlou.com/shortys-cafe-key-west-1970s-1980s/Shorty's Café was located at 215 Duval Street in the 1970's and 1980's. Same block as Sloppy Joe's. Just a few doors up the street. Today, Shorty's Market. Different owner, different type business. An open front market and deli. Back in the 70's and 80's, a popular café. Steve Thompson a daily visitor. One of Steve's taco stands across the street. As Steve wrote..... Shorty's Café opened early each day. The most punctual place in the keys I would say. It had a counter around the perimeter of the place. Horse shoe. So you were facing every other hung over face. A.J. ran the place like a ship at sea. Stainless galley as clean as could be. His mother ran the cash register and kept a sharp eye. If anyone pulled anything you just knew they would die. We all went there every morning, it wasn't far. Some mornings it looked like a star-wars bar. A.J. owned the conch house next to Sloppy Joe's. When he sold it, we were sure sad to see him go. Remember the leak of the Dobbs case! The Supreme Court finally issued a report following what was described as an investigation as to who leaked the case. The report advised the identity of the leaker could not be determined. The report was issued yesterday. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Marshall in charge of the Supreme Court. The investigation, or any type investigation for that matter, is not part of the job description for the U.S. Marshall, nor did the Marshall have the investigative experience to conduct such an investigation. No Justices were questioned. At the very least, Alito and Thomas should have been. Actually, all the Justices. Plus, Jinny Thomas. An overall lousy investigation. A white wash. There is a growing lack of confidence in the Supreme Court. Any wonder! A local New Mexico prosecutor advised yesterday that Alec Baldwin would be charged with 2 counts of involuntary manslaughter. I consider the charges bush league made by an inept prosecutor who appears to be seeking fame and glory. Let's see how this plays out in the final analysis. Donald Trump has used and abused the judicial system for years now. Like it belongs to him. His court room failures speak well for the type of cases he brings. Mostly to delay, buy time. A federal judge sitting in south Florida has finally said.....ENOUGH! The Federal Rules of Procedure are clear. If an attorney or client bring a baseless lawsuit, they can be fined for wasting the court's time and taxpayer monies. The type lawsuit is described as "frivolous" and the fine is labeled a "sanction." The judge was in charge of Trump's lawsuit against Hillary Clinton The sanction just under $1 million, to wit: $937,989. Trump and his attorneys must personally pay it. The judge wrote in his opinion re the sanctions: The lawsuit's "inadequacy as a legal claim was evident from the start." The judge further chastised Trump for his "pattern" of misusing courts for his political agenda. Enjoy your day!

GEORGE SANTOS DRAG QUEEN

GEORGE SANTOS DRAG QUEEN - https://keywestlou.com/george-santos-drag-queen/George Santos has been many things. Some true, some false. His most recent background item appears to have been his time as a drag queen. Bess Levin is an excellent investigative reporter. She comes up with some beauties. She reveals one which Santos has failed to list. Perhaps because this one is true. Levin spells it out in her 1/18 article in Vanity Fair titled "Report: George Santos, Supporter of Anti-LGBTQ + Laws, Participated In Drag Shows And Went By The Name 'Katara' In Brazil." Levin wrote, the "serial liar" has more. What she further shared adds to the veracity of her article. The article contains a photo of Santos in drag. Not bad looking! Levin adds: "Meanwhile, he's aligned himself with deeply bigoted members of the far right." She describes Santos' switch from drag queen to opposing gay rights as "flagrant hypocrisy." Debt ceiling problems begin kicking in today. Slowly at this point. Nothing but talk will occur. Impacts will slowly rise into June. The government knows how to borrow from Peter to pay Paul to pay debts till then. I spell out again some of the areas in danger: Social Security, Medicare, salaries of government employees, Veteran benefits, and a crashing stock market. Whacko statement of the day: "Not all students who menstruate are female." So sayeth Minnesota Democrat Rep. Sandra Feist. She wants napkins/tampons available in school male bathrooms as well as female ones. She introduced a bill to that effect: The Menstrual Equity Bill. Reaction to her bill was all one way. Buried Feist's position with fact and ridicule. The oldest person in the world died yesterday. A French nun. Sister Andre. She was 118. Records kept in the U.S. estimate that 1 in 5,000 people are above the age of 100. Eighty five percent are women - a phenomenon not well understood. The new "oldest person in the world" today is American Maria Branyas Morers who is 115. Two movies filmed in Key West in the late 1950's. One is the Rose Tattoo. Written by Key West's own Tennessee Williams. Filmed on Duncan Street in a house 2 doors from Williams' home. Lisa also lives on Duncan 1 1/2 blocks away. Filming began this day in 1956. Anna Mangani and Burt Lancaster starred. Mangani won the Academy Award for Best Female Performance for the film. Lancaster was a guest in Williams' home during much of the filming. Another movie filmed in Key West is Operation Petticoat. Filming began this day in 1959. The movie starred Cary Grant and Tony Curtis. A World War II submarine comedy. The movie continues to be run on TV on a frequent basis. It's that good! Another Steve Thompson story re Key West of another day. Steve had a taco shop in the 200 block of Duval across from Sloppy Joe's. Stan was an owner of Sloppy's at one time. Stan was the owner of Sloppy Joe's in 1973. When he took an option to sell to Walter Perry. I enjoyed visiting with Stan at the bar. We were both open late and he wasn't far. He said he only hired female bartenders. I guess they attracted more big spenders. I asked him what happened to the other pool table. He said he had a fight there last week was nearly fatal. He said we never have trouble but when we do you can be sure it's someone playing pool. Stan said Walter exercised the option on the very last day. He thought the deal was off, he thought they couldn't pay. So that was the end of Sloppy's for Stan, but every tourist still goes there if they can. Enjoy your day!

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE LADIES ROOM STAYS IN LADIES ROOM

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE LADIES ROOM STAYS IN LADIES ROOM - https://keywestlou.com/what-happens-in-the-ladies-room-stays-in-ladies-room/"What happens in the ladies room stays in ladies room." An extension of the Vegs saying. It was the first day of the Speaker vote. Three female representatives were in the ladies room. Rep. Debbie Dingell reported on the confrontation between Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert. A brief strong argument between Greene and Boebert. Subject matter concerned why one was not supporting McCarthy's election. Nothing more known except after a hurried exchange of words, one immediately exited the ladies room. On this day in 1991, Eastern Airlines went out of business. Closed down for good. I was shocked. Never expected a giant airline such as Eastern to go under. Eastern has been operating for more than 60 years. It had been my carrier of choice. Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band will appear on two separate evenings in February. February 9 and 11 at the Coffee Butler Amphitheatre. Tickets $99 for general admission lawn and $149 for reserved seating. The Amphitheater's capacity 3,500. Buffett a son of Key West. His success was born here. Even though an international star, he found the time over the years to appear and do a free concert. Generally on Duval. People packed the streets for blocks. It appears Buffett concerts have gone the way of housing in Key West. Expensive! Sad also. His free street appearances were a wonderful tribute and thank you to his beginnings. Locals benefitted. Fewer locals and more tourists will be at the Amphitheater. Many will have come in just for the concerts. The hotels and restaurants will do a booming business. I take nothing away from Buffett. A great person and entertainer. Generous in many respects. If this is how it now is, so be it. Leaves a bit of sour taste in my mouth, however. Enjoy your day!

WHAT HAPPENS IF NATIONAL DEBT LIMIT BREACHED

WHAT HAPPENS IF NATIONAL DEBT LIMIT BREACHED - https://keywestlou.com/what-happens-if-national-debt-limit-breached/The most important issue facing the U.S. today is dealing with the national debt limit. Its ceiling is being reached. It must be paid. Failure to do so will, not may, result in economic disaster the likes of apparently not comprehended by Congressional Republicans nor the American people. Default will make 1929 pale in comparison. There have been a number of articles written this past week setting forth the consequences of a default. One of the best is that published in the New York Times 1/13 titled "The U.S. May Finally Breach The Debt Ceiling. Here's Why That Would Be Very Bad." I am analyzing the problem in a two fold fashion, as the New York Times did. Just approaching the debt limit can hurt the economy. It happened in 2011. Congressional Republicans and Obama engaged in a standoff. It was resolved just in time to actually avoid hitting the limit. The result nevertheless had dire consequences. Coming close rattled investors, consumers and business owners. Stock prices plunged. Markets became volatile. It took the economy a half year to recover. Interest rates rose. Mortgage rates jumped substantially. Home buying died. The S&P downgraded the U.S.' credit rating for the first time. Consumer confidence and small business optimism plunged. Note, all these things occurred where no default occurred. One came close, but only close. The economy will have far worse consequences if the U.S. fails to pay the debt and a breach occurs. Investors would demand higher interest rates on U.S. borrowing. Interest payments would rise dramatically. The stock market would nose dive. Employee invest plans drop dramatically. International bond markets would destabilize. U.S. Treasury bonds would no longer be seen as one of the safest investments in the world. The U.S. would not be able to pay the salaries of federal employees. Social Security checks would not go out. Ten percent of the American economy would be killed immediately. Three million jobs would be lost. A 30 year mortgage would increase by an additional $130,000. And finally, the national debt. Republicans are preaching how high it is and they intend to reduce it. Well, a default in meeting the pay the nation's one year of bills would automatically result in $850 billion being added on to the national debt. Congressional Republicans are balancing an economic nuclear bomb on their fingertips by playing the game they are. I cannot help but wonder if they actually know what they are doing. Last night not Tom Brady's time. The Cowboys beat the Bucs 31-14. Brady did not play his usual game. One of the worst playoff games in his 23 year career. Brady is 46. Time to pack it in. Retire. He will still be recognized as the greatest professional quarterback in history. Perhaps the greatest professional pro football player ever. Syracuse lost to Miami last night 82-78. Too bad. It would have been Syracuse's biggest win of the season. Miami is ranked #17. Syracuse fell short in the last minute of the game. Mintz made a "freshman mistake" and what might have been a win became a sure loss. Such is life! The South continues to fight the Civil War. Assholes one and all. Martin Luther King Jr. is a federal holiday. Mississippi and Louisiana cannot let go their Confederate spirit. They celebrate the same day honoring Robert E. Lee. Both States refer to the day as King-Lee Day. Virginia did the same till 2000. Arizona till 2018. An icon and diva of the American and Italian cinema died yesterday. Gina Lollobrigida. She was 95. On this day in 1961, President Eisenhower delivered his farewell address. In it, he warned against the "military-industrial complex." Over the years, his words have gone unheeded. Now, the complex is too big to control. We're stuck with it. Enjoy your day!

I HAVE A DREAM

I HAVE A DREAM - https://keywestlou.com/i-have-a-dream-3/Parts of Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech were improvised while the speech was being delivered. A formal speech had been prepared the day before. The text reduced to writing. King had it with him and was reading from it as his speech began. During his reading of the seventh paragraph, something that can only be described as extraordinary happened. Mahalia Jackson shouted out "tell them about the 'dream.'" Few heard her. Ted Kennedy was one. King pushed "the text of his prepared remarks to one side of the lectern.....shifted gears.....gave himself over to the spirit of the moment." King than improvised the second half of his speech which included the "I have a dream" refrain. It included in thought, though not in preciseness, similar words spoken by him 2 months earlier at Cobo Hall in Detroit. Those words now frozen in time. It will be a bit warmer today. Though 7 at the moment and only 54 degrees in Key West, the temperature will rise to 70 today. Facebook ran a cartoon today re the cold blanketing Florida. Someone asked while standing by a refrigerator: What's in the freezer? An old geezer sitting in a rocking chair responded: Florida! Came across a statement applicable to me on Facebook: "I have reached an age where my mind says I CAN DO THAT. But my body says, try it and you'll be sorry." Learned by me the hard way! I watched the Miami/Buffalo game yesterday. Fully expected Buffalo to devastate Miami. Began with Buffalo quickly going ahead 17-0. The game ended with Buffalo winning by a mere 3 points 34-31. Obviously, it turned into a very exciting competitive game. Nature is destroying our planet. Man causing nature to do so, of course. The destruction a constant one. Radical storms a yearly happening. California flooding and hurricanes in the east reflective of the trend. Many are its effects. Side repercussions. Insurance company failures will be one. There will not be enough money in their tills to meet their contractual obligations. The U.S. has had what might be described on occasion as days not its finest. One this day in 1919, the 18th amendment was ratified banning alcohol consumption. On this day in 1412, the Medici family was appointed official banker of the Papacy. Like making Al Capone Secretary of the Treasury. Enjoy your day!

PIC DAY

PIC DAY - https://keywestlou.com/pic-day/I rarely go out in my old age. It is not my age actually that is the reason. COVID did it. I was fearful of becoming infected. Became a recluse. Stayed in. Did not go out except for doctor and hospital visits for 342 days. Now, I can't kick the habit. I did go out last thursday evening as I mentioned the other day. Dinner at Antonia's with Dan and Lisa Riordon of Skaneateles, N.Y. Dan and Lisa have been Key West visitors for 18 years. Generally, the month of January. Now, January and February. Die hard Syracuse fans. They owned and operated a restaurant in Skaneateles for years. Sold it 3 years ago. A tough business. Now enjoying life. I had not been out in more than 3 weeks when we had dinner at Antonia's. The smile on our faces tell the story. We had a wonderful time! I promised them we would go out again this week. Picture #2 relates to another blog I wrote last week. The one where I was best man at Bob and Helen Marks' wedding 42 years ago in Maine. I mentioned I had hair at the time. Something lacking at this stage of my life. Several wrote and asked if I had any photos showing hair. I recalled Bob and Helen's wedding photo and had them send it to me. I was 47 when the photo was taken. Look at the that full head of hair! Amazing! I was also thin. No more. Syracuse/Notre Dame last night. A great game! Syracuse won 78-73. The victory itself not the story. it is the way Syracuse achieved the victory. Syracuse was behind by 4 at half. No big deal. It was close most of the first half. Notre Dame is a 3 point shooting team. All 5 players pop up the 3's. They were dropping like rain drops. All over the place. Notre Dame made 15 3 pointers in the first 30 minutes of the game. Notre Dame could not miss. Especially in the first 8 minutes of the second half. With 12 minutes remaining, Syracuse was down 12 points. On its way to losing. Even Boeheim thought so. In his post game interview, he said, "Heck of a comeback, we were in jeopardy." Boeheim's coaching genius came into play at that point. He put 4 freshmen on the floor and went into a full court press. Turned the game around! Notre Dame lost its cool. The freshmen began making Syracuse 3's. Most people are unaware what a bee hive of Ku Klux Klan activity Key West was 100 years ago. The story. The Ku Klux Klan was established in Key West in the early 1920's. Always a reason for something to occur. In this instance, Key West's Black community was organizing. The white population feared the activity. Marcus Garvey, a black man and international figure in the national black equality movement, visited Key West. Garvey was in effect the Martin Luther King Jr. of his day. Key West leaders gathered together to establish the Klan in the Keys. Charles Ketchum of Key West became the Grand Dragon for the State of Florida. Key West became the headquarters for the State organization. Its offices were located on Eaton Street. Violence and terror erupted in South Florida under Ketchum. Florida experienced more lynchings per capita than any other State in the Union. Hard to believe such occurred. Key West today is the Home of One Human Family. A 2022 Syracuse University study found that a taxpayer in the lowest and middle income brackets was five times more likely to face an audit than a member in the highest bracket. The millionaires, billionaires and corporations do not face the same abuse. On this day in 2009, Pilot "Sully" Sullenberger performed the "Miracle on the Hudson." By so doing, he averted a major disaster. His heroic display of skill and composure responsible.. Sully was piloting a US Airways flight which collided with a flock of geese. His engines failed. The plane was carrying 150 passengers and 5 crew members. Sully safely landed the plane on the Hudson River. An impossible feat. All lives were saved. Sully became an instantaneous American hero. Deservedly so! Wear long pants, sweater or jacket and go to the gardens later today. A treat of treat awaits. Terri White sings! Enjoy your Sunday!

PIC DAY

PIC DAY - https://keywestlou.com/pic-day/I rarely go out in my old age. It is not my age actually that is the reason. COVID did it. I was fearful of becoming infected. Became a recluse. Stayed in. Did not go out except for doctor and hospital visits for 342 days. Now, I can't kick the habit. I did go out last thursday evening as I mentioned the other day. Dinner at Antonia's with Dan and Lisa Riordon of Skaneateles, N.Y. Dan and Lisa have been Key West visitors for 18 years. Generally, the month of January. Now, January and February. Die hard Syracuse fans. They owned and operated a restaurant in Skaneateles for years. Sold it 3 years ago. A tough business. Now enjoying life. I had not been out in more than 3 weeks when we had dinner at Antonia's. The smile on our faces tell the story. We had a wonderful time! I promised them we would go out again this week. Picture #2 relates to another blog I wrote last week. The one where I was best man at Bob and Helen Marks' wedding 42 years ago in Maine. I mentioned I had hair at the time. Something lacking at this stage of my life. Several wrote and asked if I had any photos showing hair. I recalled Bob and Helen's wedding photo and had them send it to me. I was 47 when the photo was taken. Look at the that full head of hair! Amazing! I was also thin. No more. Syracuse/Notre Dame last night. A great game! Syracuse won 78-73. The victory itself not the story. it is the way Syracuse achieved the victory. Syracuse was behind by 4 at half. No big deal. It was close most of the first half. Notre Dame is a 3 point shooting team. All 5 players pop up the 3's. They were dropping like rain drops. All over the place. Notre Dame made 15 3 pointers during the game. Notre Dame could not miss. Especially in the first 8 minutes of the second half. With 12 minutes remaining, Syracuse was down 12 points. On its way to losing. Even Boeheim thought so. In his post game interview, he said, "Heck of a comeback, we were in jeopardy." Boeheim's coaching genius came into play at that point. He put 4 freshmen on the floor and went into a full court press. Turned the game around! Notre Dame lost its cool. The freshmen began making Syracuse 3's. Most people are unaware what a bee hive of Ku Klux Klan activity Key West was 100 years ago. The story. The Ku Klux Klan was established in Key West in the early 1920's. Always a reason for something to occur. In this instance, Key West's Black community was organizing. The white population feared the activity. Marcus Garvey, a black man and international figure in the national black equality movement, visited Key West. Garvey was in effect the Martin Luther King Jr. of his day. Key West leaders gathered together to establish the Klan in the Keys. Charles Ketchum of Key West became the Grand Dragon for the State of Florida. Key West became the headquarters for the State organization. Its offices were located on Eaton Street. Violence and terror erupted in South Florida under Ketchum. Florida experienced more lynchings per capita than any other State in the Union. Hard to believe such occurred. Key West today is the Home of One Human Family. A 2022 Syracuse University study found that a taxpayer in the lowest and middle income brackets was five times more likely to face an audit than a member in the highest bracket. The millionaires, billionaires and corporations do not face the same abuse. On this day in 2009, Pilot "Sully" Sullenberger performed the "Miracle on the Hudson." By so doing, he averted a major disaster. His heroic display of skill and composure responsible.. Sully was piloting a US Airways flight which collided with a flock of geese. His engines failed. The plane was carrying 150 passengers and 5 crew members. Sully safely landed the plane on the Hudson River. An impossible feat. All lives were saved. Sully became an instantaneous American hero. Deservedly so! Wear long pants, sweater or jacket and go to the gardens later today. A treat of treat awaits. Terri White sings! Enjoy your Sunday!

MALE LEGISLATORS COULD END UP WEARING SKIRTS AND PANTY HOSE

MALE LEGISLATORS COULD END UP WEARING SKIRTS AND PANTY HOSE - https://keywestlou.com/male-legislators-could-end-up-wearing-skirts-and-panty-hose/Male legislators could end up wearing skirts and panty hose. With the skirts required to be 3 inches above the knee. I kid you not. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. The Missouri House has tightened the dress code for its female members. They are henceforth required to wear clothing covering their arms. The full requirement: Female lawmakers must cover their arms and wear blazers while in the State Capitol. The same old story in operation again. Men controlling what should be a right solely within the judgment of a woman. It is the abortion story all over again. Men have this inherent need to dominate the other sex. I suspect because they feel the male gender is weakening and women are taking over. Women are taking over in many respects. They are a growing power politically. Even to the level of state legislatures. They can perform two tasks at one time whereas men are lucky to do one and do it properly. How many women work full time, take care of a family, and perform a multitude of other tasks? Again, I believe men fear women. Especially the women of today. The strange thing about Missouri was a Republican female legislator, Ann Kelley, proposed the law as an amendment to a House dress code which was passed in 2021 which required women to wear a "dress or skirt or slacks worn with a blazer or sweater and appropriate dress shoes or boots." Kelley's position is that is is "essential to always maintain a formal and professional atmosphere." Democrats, especially the women, called it "ridiculous." Kelley amended her proposal to include "cardigans" in lieu of jackets, but still required a woman's arms to be covered. So was born the new dress code for the female House members. Beware Missouri male legislators. Ladies are tough. They have memories like elephants. They continue to grow in numbers and will be in the majority in the Missouri House and in many other states within a decade or two. Then the retribution. They won't bother with male arms. Your lower extremities will be of concern. Short skirts and panty hose! Deserving retaliation! It might not bother some. There must be one, two or more male members who enjoy cross dressing. Laugh not. Did you ever think abortion would be where it is at today? Did you think in the slightest that a legislature would vote for its female members to wear clothing covering their arms today? What has happened in Missouri is a reflection of increasing male insecurity. A shark was in the waters of Fort Zachary Taylor beach January 8. Near the Naval Air Station property. It "appeared to be a large shark." Its victim received puncture wounds to his thigh, knee and calf area. We are into another cold spell. Eight in the morning and 62 degrees. The high today will only be 64 degrees. Tonight 57. Tomorrow the high 61 and low 57. Projected to warm up monday. Slowly, however. The high 70, low 66. If you are a resident, anything 74 degrees and lower is cold. The debt ceiling problem has its beginnings this friday. Will be an increasing problem till June. If not dealt with, disaster will befall the U.S. economically. Simple. The Republicans played the debt ceiling card twice in the past 15 years. Failed for them each time. As it will fail again. Many in the U.S. will be hurt during the process. Social Security recipients at some point will stop receiving their checks. That is when the real disaster will hit on a practical basis. Many live on the meager amounts in those checks. Love Bess Levin! A comment by her re George Santos: "George Santos, one week away from claiming to be Ronald Reagan's biological son." A falsehood, of course. A recent Bess Levin article concerned Donald Trump and North Korea. It appears in Vanity Fair 1/13 and is titled: "Donald Trump wanted To Nuke North Korea." The substance of the article to the effect that Trump desired to nuke North Korea and blame it on another country. Levin claims recent information reveals Trump spent much of 2017 suggesting such action "behind closed doors in the Oval Office." I enjoyed a long and cheerful dinner with Dan and Lisa Riordon thursday night at Antonia's. Our last time together was a year ago when they were visiting. It was the first time in years I have dined at Antonia's. Never changes. Always the best atmosphere and food. TK was bartending. Donna and Terri enjoying dinner at the bar. it was good to see them. Terri is singing at Kate Miano's Gardens sunday. Syracuse/Notre Dame tonight at 7. My fingers are crossed. Enjoy your day!

REPUBLICANS INTENTIONALLY BLIND…..FAIL TO ACKNOWLEDGE HOW BIDEN HAS HELPED ORDINARY TAXPAYERS

REPUBLICANS INTENTIONALLY BLIND…..FAIL TO ACKNOWLEDGE HOW BIDEN HAS HELPED ORDINARY TAXPAYERS - https://keywestlou.com/republicans-intentionally-blind-fail-to-acknowledge-how-biden-has-helped-ordinary-taxpayers/The first bill passed by the new Republican House majority was to slash $80 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act Biden had signed into law. Told the American public the purpose of Biden's $80 billion was to hire 87,000 new IRS agents to pursue and audit them. They also justified the slash claiming some of the monies were to arm the agents with guns. Threatening and scary. An outright lie. The Inflation Reduction Act made it clear that the purpose of the $80 billion was to make "millionaires, billionaires, and corporations" pay taxes. The three groups that either successfully avoid paying taxes or pay little. The law also was to add technological upgrades to IRS processing. Yesterday, it was announced that the IRS had sent out 12 million tax refunds totaling nearly $15 billion after making corrections to taxes that were filed. The refunds averaged $1,232. The Republicans have made no mention of this refund. Why the refund? Another Biden law made it possible. The American Rescue Plan of 2021. Biden signed it into law 3/21. The portion of the law requiring the refund concerned itself with taxpayers who overpaid on unemployment compensation in 2020. It excluded "up to $10,200 in unemployment compensation from taxable income allocations." The refunds impacted single taxpayers and married couples whose modified adjusted gross incomes were less than $150,000 in 2020. Doesn't sound to me like Biden was out to get the ordinary lower echelon taxpayer? Two years in office and Biden signs 2 laws helpful to everyday American wage earners. Yet the devious House Republicans fail to even mention it. I'm sure they were aware of both laws and how they worked. Isn't it their job to know? The 1915 House of Representatives are reflective of a backward and repressive mentality similar to the new Republican House members. The 1915 House rejected 204-174 a proposed Constitutional amendment to give women nationwide the right to vote. The new Republican House has only been in business 3 days. Their extreme views are like bugs coming out of the wood work. Good! Let the nation see what and who they are. The American people do not want extreme. They do not want political wars. They want their government to care for the peoples' ordinary everyday needs. Such was the election message of 2022. The Republicans are deaf and blind to it. They will pay a worse penalty in the next election. Prohibition was a national tragedy. Key West experienced its share in getting rid of the booze this day in 1925. It was "legal sunshine" day at the Key West Custom House. Authorities poured various brands of confiscated liquor into the ocean near the western foot of Greene Street. The fish got drunk! On this day in 1969, I sat with my father in his living room watching Super Bowl III. I will never forget. I doubt anyone who recalls the game will. The American Football League was relatively new. The New York Jets were a member of the League. Every team in the League considered by most as second class citizens. The game was played in the Orange Bowl. Joe Namath was the Jets quarterback. He was before the game as he is now. Loud, boisterous and confident. He repeatedly said, "We're going to win!" No one agreed. He was laughed at. Namath and the Jets did win 16-7. What a game! It was Syracuse/Virginia Tech last night. Syracuse won 82-72. Syracuse took a 20 plus lead at the beginning of the second half and never was in trouble thereafter. Syracuse seems to improve with each game. Even the ones they lose. I hope they continue the pace. By the end of the season and entering the playoffs, they will be a power if they do. Never had dinner last night with Dan and Lisa Reardon. He is a Syracuse fan also. We opted to watch the game instead. Dan at his place and me in mine. We are having dinner tonight at Antonia's. It will be good to see them. Busy day even before dinner time. A haircut with Lori at noon and manicure with Tammy at 1. Enjoy your day!

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