Key West Lou / FAUX FANTASY FEST SO FAR NOT A SUCCESS

Some people do not know how to leave well enough alone. Key West’s annual Fantasy Fest an example.

The event normally is held this week. Not this year however. Several months ago because of the coronavirus crisis it was called off.

Not everyone happy with the call. Bars and hotels primarily. Money more important than the health of the community.

A rump group decided Key West would have a not for real Fantasy Fest. A faux Fantasy Fest. Bars and hotels behind it. Locals otherwise against.

Advertising for the event was as far north as Tampa. Last word earlier this week was that swingers groups would be coming down for the weekend.

So far I only have information re thursday night. I continue to be self quarantined. Everyone I called also or were not planning to attend at all.

What I have learned is the rain has kept many tourists away. Been raining big time for 2 weeks. Rained thursday and friday. Will rain today. This much rain not normal. Perhaps God’s way of telling the swingers to stay home.

Hotel occupancy was 80 percent thursday night. The word was many revelers would be checking out friday. The gluttonous hotels were raising rates for the weekend.

The crowd by day thursdy on Duval minimal. Thursday night better. Nothing anywhere near what it would be during an official Fantasy Fest.

A Black Lingerie Bike Ride was planned. All of 30 participated. Several hundred to a thousand in a similar parade in previous years.

One of the best barometers for Duval Street business is Mike Rossi, owner of the Red Garter. A gentleman’s club, a strip joint. Rossi said business was down one half or three quarters of what it should be.

Under normal circumstances, tonight would have been the parade. I doubt one was even planned. A mammoth undertaking.

In a few days, we will know what happened over the weekend.

Trump said during the recent debate that we had “rounded the corner” as far as coronavirus was concerned. If such is the case, why the present surge in many States.

Yesterday, a banner one. A record one day high in new coronavirus cases. Eighty three thousand.

Experts expect the number to increase.

The present surge is sufficiently bad that we are being told some hospitals will be in a crisis. They are ill equipped to care for the coming deluge.

I do not know what possesses Trump. He seems to have a need to do harm to people. He is a pain giver. Generally in retaliation for some act by the person or group being punished. He forgets that revenge is God’s alone.

The most recent group to feel his cruelty are federal civil service employees. Trump signed an Executive Order which will cause tens of thousands to lose their civil service protections.

Amazing how merely with the stroke of a pen he can give vent to his vindictiveness.

The Executive Order immediately removes civil service protections from federal employees. Henceforth, they can be treated as political employees. Discharged at will. Job security gone. Rights to due process gone. In some instances, even union representation prohibited.

There are 2.1 million federal civil service employees. The exact number affected not known yet. However, it is predicted to be huge.

Understand what is involved. If a President wants something done which the civil servant believes is not correct, the civil servant can be fired. Without a reason actually being given. What will be required to retain one’s position is a political loyalty test. A Jim Comey sort of thing.

Syracuse, my Syracuse!

A Casey at the bat day ahead. However, nothing expected of Syracuse.

Syracuse at noon plays the mighty Clemson. Clemson is #1 in the country. Undefeated at 5-0. Syracuse obviously not ranked with a 1-4 record.

The one game Syracuse won this year was against Georgia Tech. Syracuse beat Georgia tech 37-20. If you will recall, I said it was an excellent game. One of he best I had seen Syracuse play in years.

Clemson played Georgia Tech last week. Georgia Tech still bleeding. The score Clemson 73, Georgia Tech 7.

Oh, the pain! The Syracuse players will survive, but never forget.

I played on a basketball team one year that did not do well. I was captain. As we got the hell knocked out of us each week, we were told it built character. Screw the character! We wanted the victory!

Enjoy your day!

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