Key West Lou / COVID…..THE PAIN, SUFFERING AND FEAR THAT COMES WITH IT

With the advent of omicron, the number of virus cases seems to have increased. Especially in the Key West area. The stories close friends share are unbelievable.

Recent friends inflicted include frequent visitor Don from Syracuse, Donna and Terri, and now Jean and Joe Thornton. Interestingly all had the two shots plus the booster.

Don got COVID for a second time. The second worse than the first.

Donna and Terri suffered through it. I only communicated with Donna. By telephone. She sounded horrible.

Last night, I found out Jean and Joe were hit hard. They have been in Key West for a few weeks. So the virus had to get them while here.

I spoke with Jean by phone last night. She says she is on the mend. She sounded terrible! Totally exhausted. Like each word was an effort to articulate.

She told me Joe was even worse. Scary worse. I am not even going to try to describe what he has been experiencing. Just horrible!

Jean said Joe was better yesterday. Not close yet to a recovery.

My admonition: Get vaccinated and boostered if you have not, wear a mask, and exercise social distancing. Better yet, stay home!

I recall my Catholic high school teaching by the good nuns: Stay away from the near occasions of sin. Re COVID, stay away from places where the virus has to be. We are all big people and know right from wrong.

Speaking of masks, we are now told to get better masks. I received my KN95s a few days ago.

Soon COVID could bring happy times with it. Sounds crazy, I know. However, it was announced yesterday a new study indicates cannabis could help in preventing the virus.

If so, think of what life may be. First, throw off your masks. Smoke pot, get high, and by so doing protect yourself from the COVID virus.

We will be dancing in the streets.

What a world it will be!

Tennis star Novac Djokovic should not be allowed to play in Australia. As a guest especially. Australia has rules to protect its people. They were hard hit.

Djokovic comes in to play in a tournament to begin soon and lies. He had the virus, did not report it, and did not do the required 10 or 14 day quarantine. Lied orally and in writing.

He still wants to play in the tournament. He’s #1 in the world. He should not be allowed. Everyone must follow the rules. Failing to do so, such persons must suffer the consequences. It’s like Commit the crime, do the time.

Last COVID item this morning. The virus has been affecting Army recruiting. Fewer are enlisting. The Army has increased the enlistment bonus from $40,000 to $50,000. A new requirement however: The enlistee must serve 6 years.

My grandson Robert. Continues to make me proud.

He is a senior due to graduate later this term. His classmates voted him the “Best All Around Personality.”

That’s Robert. Not surprising.

He continues to impress me. A top student, great tennis player, involved in all kinds of broadcasting activities. Everyone loves him!

I gave him a lecture last night. A grandfather’s prerogative. I told him he is the All American boy. People see it in him and respect him. I advised he must work to always be that type individual. I have seen too many reach their 30’s and 40’s and change.

News from the university and college level. Undergraduate enrollments are falling. Since the fall 2021 enrollments, the number is less 465,300. Yes, that number fewer students in one year.

The number is expected to continue dropping with the fall 2022 enrollments.

The decline since 2019 is 6.6 percent.

Universities/colleges are alarmed. The statistics indicate more than 1 million fewer students since 2019. The schools suffer. Dormitories and classroom buildings go empty with such a drop in enrollments.

I saw it happen in the 1980’s when I was Chairman of the Board of Visitors at the Syracuse Law School. The Chancellor put me on a special committee to find out why, what could be done, etc.

One discovery involved students from Jewish families on Long Island. A huge entering block each year. The economy prevented the families from sending their children to Syracuse. They did not have the money. Instead the kids went to community colleges near home on the Island.

Empty dormitories were a dime a dozen. The central administration wanted the law school to rent or buy one for law students. The law school is technically separate from the University, runs itself as a separate business.

Perhaps the law school was more frugal. Whatever, it had money.

The negotiation wasn’t difficult. The law school refused to buy or rent a dormitory. The University ended up giving a dormitory building to the law school for nothing.

Why are fewer persons enrolling? Two things. The pandemic. Jobs hard to come by. The other, the past decade has shown there is little value in a college degree these days. The wages paid to college grads are considerably less than they used to be. Ergo, why waste money going to college.

Ronnie Specter died yesterday at the age of 78. A singing icon from the 1960’s. She was lead in a three female group called the Rosettes.

They brought an “edge” to “girl group sound” at the time. Be My Baby their hit that introduced it.

Everything is up. Consumer prices are experiencing their biggest rise in nearly 40 years. Inflation is up 7 percent. The rise has resulted in higher rents, food more expensive, and an increase in gas prices.

None good. Many economists are saying things will soon get better. I do not believe them. They will only get dramatically worse before turning to the better.

Enjoy your day!

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