Key West Lou / COVID CARNIVAL

Key West smartly cancelled this year’s Fantasy Fest several months ago. Some merchants, primarily bar owners and hotels, were not happy about it. They were losing money and money had become more important to them than good health.

The bar owners especially saw the need for something to replace Fantasy Fest. An informal fantasy fest 10/16-24.

The City said it would not be involved in any way. No additional police, etc.

The informal group is planning to hold some of the usual festive parties under different names.

Local businessmen have been advertising this week’s informal gathering as far away as Tampa.

Doesn’t anyone care about staying healthy, not placing themselves in harm’s way?

So what is happening? This is the first weekend of the informal fantasy fest.

I am into roughly 240 days of self-quarantine. Not on Duval Friday or Saturday nights. My local friends I called to find out what they had seen were wise also. Few went. No way were they going to expose themselves to the virus.

I have piecemealed information from various sources. This is what has been discovered.

Earlier this week, a bare assed woman was sitting on the tiger in front of City Hall. Pictures were being taken. Some by professional photographers it is assumed.

Not one official person tried to stop the exposition.

The City announced that public nudity and body painting would not be allowed.

Apparently a big group is coming down from Tampa. Primarily swingers. They visited for Fantasy Fest a couple of years go and began a huge furor.

The swingers are returning. Someone mentioned they would not be kissing.

Additionally, some one from the Tampa area advised they planned on being “completely non compliant.” No masks, social distancing, etc.

Hotels and guest houses doing a booming business. Most close to full occupancy. Rates at the better hotels $800 a night. Season rates! Shocking people are paying that much.

Someone familiar with Key West happenings mentioned a guest house in one of the “poorer neighborhoods” advertising rooms beginning at $500.

Some interesting observations.

A local described Key West this week as a “Covid Carnival.”

Dr. John Norris is Chief of Staff at the Lower Keys Medical Center. He is also my primary care physician.

He was quoted in a recent interview. The good doctor is much concerned with the virus. He said, “Fantasy Fest is no Sesame Street…..Risque behavior is too risky…..We don’t have anything like a Covid hotel.”

This informal fantasy fest opened its festival party week the same day as the newest coronavirus report came out. This past week, 50 of the 52 States experienced a rise in coronavirus cases. The highest number since July.

Total number of cases now exceeds more than 8 million. Deaths 218,600.

Infectious disease experts warn the U.S. could be facing a “substantial third wave.” I am not an expert. However, I believe we never left the first wave. This “third wave” is actually the ongoing first wave.

Some parents are whacky. Fail to understand the consequences of one person being affected with coronavirus. This group is adamantly opposed to mask wearing by their children.

The problem has arisen in Monroe County schools. Key West is a part of Monroe County.

I suspect the parents have not made themselves aware of the consequences if school children do not wear masks. Monroe County has decided children MUST wear masks.

The parental furor, though not substantial, would make one think the children were being asked to donate a healthy kidney.

The parents’ argument is twofold.

First, the Constitutional rights of their children and themselves are being violated. The second reason a medical one.The claim being made that wearing a face mask more that 6 hours is injurious to a child’s health. Comparable to a child wearing a dirty diaper for 6 hours.

A parent’s tears will not bring back to life the child of the parent opposing mask wearing.

Harsh, but true.

Trump ways are a consistent pattern. It took us 4 years to discover his reactions.

Every time a less than good situation arises affecting Trump, his shout is “bias…..deep Democratic ties…..unfair.”

Spoken by the President with bravado.

The next and last Presidential debate’s moderator is NBC’s Kristen Welker. Trump does not like her for the quoted reasons stated. He said however with further bravado, “I’ll still play the game.”

Yesterday’s Citizens’ Voice contained the following comment: “Just because you say it louder doesn’t make it any more correct. Saying the same untruth repeatedly doesn’t make it not a lie.”

Syracuse football. Another bad day for the Orange. Nevertheless, we still love you “Cuse!

Now to the down and dirty. Syracuse lost yesterday to Liberty University 38-21. Leaves Syracuse 1-4 for the season thus far.

On the other hand, Liberty is 4-0.

Liberty has come a long way!

The school a Christian evangelical university. One of its founders in 1971 Jerry Falwell. An extremist Republican. To the far far right.

The Republican right itself has come a long way. Today they control the Presidency, Senate, Supreme Court, and if the trend continues, national football. The Alabama of tomorrow!

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