Key West Lou / GASOLINE PRICE GOUGING IN KEY WEST

The topic familiar to those who live in Key West: The community gets ripped off at the gas pump.

Two comments in this morning’s Citizens’ Voice evidence what Key Westers know only too well.

“Current gas prices: Florida City $3.19, Largo-Islamorada $3.29, Big Pine-Summerland $3.59, Key West $4.25. In 50 miles the price goes up by almost $1/gallon…..A text book example of price gouging.”

“Key West gas stations what is your excuse for your fuel prices when just a very short drive will save you $.50 a gallon and a little longer drive will save over $1 a gallon? I smell something fishy! Shame on you!”

The United Way of Collier and the Keys issued a housing report. Spells out something we already knew. The price of housing is in the stratosphere. Way above reasonable.

The average needed to afford a 2 bedroom apartment in Key West is $33.54 per hour.

How many Key Westers make that kind of money?

Key Westers live in the most unaffordable area in the state.

About 7 last night, good Gov. DeSantis appeared (finally) and issued a statement. He urged Floridians to forego COVID testing even as the omicron case count skyrockets.

The man is Donald Trump reincarnated.

This is a sick story. A very sick one.

George Floyd’s 4 year old niece was shot while sleeping in her bed in her Houston home. Her name Arianna. The shooting took place at 3 in the morning.

A group drove by and “bombarded the house with bullets.”

Arianna was taken to emergency surgery at once. A lung and her liver were punctured, 3 ribs broken.

She is in stable condition.

The police are investigating.

A tale involving MAGA supporters. Amanda Moore went undercover for a year with the far right groups working to take down the U.S. Her findings amazing. Her activities and findings published in the Daily Beast 1/5.

She claims the rise in right wing populism is primarily among the under 30 crowd. Those who participated in the 1/6 insurrection are proud of their part in it: “We did it. That was us…..It would have been cool had we gotten further…..The Founding Fathers would have been proud of us.”

Various group members are practicing an increasingly popular form of harassment. Against local moderate GOP officials.

Many attend “superspreader events” and as a result become infected with COVID. Many die “preaching to the very last breath – like, don’t get the vaccine.”

Amanda revealed that many of their messages make it to the West Wing.

She said, “Let’s go Brandon” is now passe. She advised to get ready for “Mass Formation Psychosis.” Whatever that means.

Cher appeared on The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell show last night.

She spoke her mind.

She trashed Trump and tried to fire up Democrats.

Re the Democrats, she indicated they have to start moving their asses. The Party needs to “go on full tilt…..times a-wasting guys, and somebody’s got to light a fire.”

The Virginia I-95 tragedy has ended. Some were out on the road for 36 hours. Even when I-95 began moving, the side roads were full adding hours to the delay.

The cause appears to have started when two tractor trailers had an accident. The highway was extremely icy. There were other tractor trailer and automobile accidents thereafter along the way.

The situation horrible in itself. The failure of Virginia to offer ready assistance a disgrace. Heads will roll at some point.

Senator Tim Kaine was stopped on I-95 for hours. Somewhere in the teens. All he had to “eat” was an orange and a 16 ounce bottle of Dr. Pepper.

It was reported a mother had her children with her. She ran out of gas. No heat. She was walking the highway begging people in heated cars to take her children.

Ayn Rand was a world famous author. Also, a flaming nut.

Aaron Rodgers is the Green Bay Packers super star quarterback. He continues to draw fits among leftists far and wide.

Leftists lost it after he answered in an interview: “Atlas Shrugged is on my bookshelf.” Also “a lot of French poetry.”

The militant left totally disagree with Rand’s philosophy that the individual comes first. Screw the masses. Described as a “me-first” ideology. Those who are Rand followers believe her writings inspire and uphold individual freedom.

Rodgers is not the most popular of sport stars. Some are not fans of his way of thinking. He already once has been NFL MVP. Could be again this season. Probably not, however. One of the voters said, “He’s the biggest jerk in the league.”

I was a similar “jerk” in my younger days. About 2 years out of law school, I discovered Ayn Rand and The Fountainhead. Her book blew my mind. She was what I had sought not knowing I did. I became an immediate follower.

The Fountainhead pushed individualism and asked raised many questions. Rand answered those questions in her next book Atlas Shrugged. The one Rodgers had in his library.

It was at this time I became aware Rand published a weekly newspaper. I subscribed immediately.

The newspaper cured my newly ill begotten thoughts. Her newspaper writings made clear Rand was off her rocker. Crazy.

It was announced yesterday that Turkey’s rate of inflation is 36.1 percent. Turkey’s biggest in 19 years.

Off the wall! Inflation in my lifetime was the highest when Jimmy Carter was President. Hit 22 percent. It was tough economically. If you needed to borrow from a bank, the interest rate was 22 percent plus.

Turkey’s food and transportation prices/expenses rose last year. Even faster than the rate of inflation.

Attorney General Merrick Garland appears before the January 6 Committee at 2:30 this afternoon to speak with how his investigation, if any, is coming re January 6.

I fear what he may say.

When Garland was nominated, I wrote a lengthy blog advising I did not consider him a proper person for the position. He had been a federal judge for 20 plus years. Too long in that job. His thinking fixated.

A good judge does not necessarily make for a good prosecutor. Prosecutors go for the jugular. Kill the battle cry. If all the t’s are not crossed and i’s dotted, they care not. All will fall into place as time progresses. Whereas, a judge is concerned with the nitty gritty. Decision making slow and deliberate. His thinking changes, facilitates.

Garland has to move his ass. He has had close to a year. What has been his progress? What he has done is required to be silent. Unrevealing till generally indictment time.

The U.S. may not have much time in this case. If the Republicans take over the House in November, the January 6 Committee will be no more.

Do not misunderstand me. Garland is a good man. In my opinion however, the wrong man for the job.

Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou last night. Did a different type show format wise. Devoted the entire show to COVID. Properly so. It is the biggest item in the news. In the U.S. and world wide.

I mixed it up. Always stayed with the issue, however. Thought it went well. Look forward to the comments. May do a similar type show in the future re another topic.

Enjoy your day!

STORM OF STORMS

Posted: 04 Jan 2022 09:07 AM PST

Wowie! What a backup on I-95 in Virginia!

Major snow storm. Cars backed up 17 miles. No one moving, going anywhere for 7 hours. During the night. Some cars running out of fuel which meant no heat.

Snow fall was not actually bad. Seven to twelve inches. Expected. No surprise.

Not a global warming problem. Man’s fault. Virginia has had snow before. The State failed to handle it well.

I lived 70 plus years in upstate New York. A real snow belt. Whether a major thruway or highway, the plows were out. Running over the same areas for hours till there was no more snow falling.

Sometimes things got to be too much. Cars were made to get into rest areas for a couple of hours.

Some interesting stories may come out of this. Like a baby or two being born. Hopefully no calamities.

Two days to January 6. A day that will go down in history similarly to Pearl Harbor and 9/11.

Two things we know will occur this year. Trump is making a speech. The rabble rouser from hell. Steve Bannon may also have his hand in some skullduggery. He has been promising things would happen for 2 weeks.

There may be a third impetus. People themselves who have given up on Trump. If so, they will be out doing their own dastardly deeds.

For whatever reason, talk of a civil war has been in the limelight a bit the past two weeks. I have been predicting one might come even before the January 6 insurrection.

Are we ready for the anticipated conflict? How many think there will really be one?

The North was not ready for the Civil War. They thought the South was all talk. Even as Fort Sumter was being attacked, they were not convinced what was to follow would be a civil war.

The North was surprised it was for real. The North won for the same reason the U.S. defeated Japan and Germany. We had the plants and manpower to operate them. Tied into American ingenuity in converting the plants into facilities for the making of weapons of war.

If there will be a civil war, I do not see it happening till 2024. Ergo, our government has more than sufficient time to destroy the people and things that seek the civil war.

Will we do it? I consider progress extremely slow so far. The enemy of the U.S. must be destroyed now. Not 2 years from now when it may be too late.

Repairs have begun on the Southernmost Point Buoy. They began saturday. Three or four more days required to complete.

The police advise they now have identified the criminals. Though no arrests have been made. The police would provide no further information claiming they “did not want to compromise the investigation.”

How stupid! They have the webcam video. They know the names of the villains.

Does not make sense to me.

Today’s COVID update.

Experts have described omicron as: “The fastest spreading virus in history.”

Makes sense. Look at the numbers. Recollect also that today is barely a month after omicron’s first case was detected in southern Africa.

Those refusing to get vaccinated are playing Russian roulette.

Florida. Hospitalizations this past weekend have resulted from 6,000 new cases. Deaths now 85,707.

Florida’s schools will remain open in spite of omicron concerns. DeSantis says, “Just let the kids be kids.”

Asshole!

Children’s hospitals across the country are reporting pandemic high numbers. The most ever. Unvaccinated the reason. Note children have not all received the ok to receive vaccines.

The FDA friday approved the Pfizer booster shot for 12-15 year olds.

I learned this morning a hospital somewhere in the U.S. has closed down its maternity ward. Insufficient staff available to care for the birthing mothers and baby.

School teachers are becoming a problem. Actually, all industries and businesses. The head of the Syracuse Teachers Association announced a Syracuse school had been closed because there were not enough teachers to staff the school.

Learned something new re teachers. The union head said fewer young people are entering the teaching profession and this was a contributing factor.

It was reported this morning that yesterday there were 1 million new cases in the U.S. Today expected to exceed that number.

Omicron acquirable from sex? Yes. First time I have seen it reported. Omicron reported to be more contagious than any STD.

The variant spreads from droplets in the air when persons are less than 6 feet apart. Makes sense. Sex requires a closer connection. Experts advise also that omicron spreads by mere touching of a surface recently touched by a person who has COVID-19.

Spoke with Donna this morning. On the mend. Returning to work tomorrow. Terri came down with the virus also. She is on the mend.

Tuesday again. Tonight by blog talk radio show Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. A fast moving half hour where I hit hard calling them as I see them.

Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

LIARS INCORPORATED

Ho, ho, ho! Who do I describe as Liars Incorporated? The Republican Party, of course.

Most illicit groups pick up a nickname along the way. During Prohibition, it was Murder Incorporated, the Purple Gang, etc.

They are all birds of a feather. except the mobsters of yesterday used guns whereas those of today lie.

Everyone is aware Trump lies. He’s the best.

A prominent follower is Kevin McCarthy. Over the weekend, he was whining that the Democrats are using the Capitol riot as a “partisan political weapon” to “divide our country.”

McCarthy is lacking in every decent component. His twisted tongue hangs out in his quest to become Speaker.

His complicity in January 6? Time will tell.

A recent Vanity Fair article provided an apt description of Joe Manchin: “The grinch that stole the Democrats’ Christmas.”

Numbers are generally reliable. A new set has been reported. Statistics hard to believe.

One America is an Indiana Life Insurance Company. One America claims the death rate is up 40 percent from pre-pandemic levels among working age people. Working age people are those 18-64.

CEO Scott Davison said, “We are seeing…..the highest death rates in the history of this business – not just One America…..The data is consistent across every player in the business…..40 percent is just unheard of.”

Pictures of the Colorado wildfire are appearing with frequency. The wildfire aftermath unbelievable. The area appears to be as if a Category 5 hurricane had passed over.

One thousand homes destroyed. Thousands fled their homes and return with no home left to live in. Commercial complexes similarly destroyed.

Deaths uncertain. Yesterday the first number. Three. Injuries light, also. Seven.

The cause an extreme drought. Little rain in and since summer. Snow should be on the ground. Ironically, no snow till the day after the fire was out. The ground has been dry. Fallen foliage dry also as a result.

All an invitation to a successful wildfire.

Strong winds accompanied the wildfire. Downed power lines, overturned large rigs. Many residents were unable to open their garage doors to flee because power was unavailable. Literally had to run for the lives feet ahead of the encroaching fire.

The question: Global warming involved? Some experts are expounding the disaster would not have been as great were it not for global warming.

I don’t know. I recognize global warming and the impending doom it brings. However let’s be careful not to label all disasters the result of global warming till accurate data is available.

I have begun to do a daily COVid update.

Israel reports the first case of “flurona.” Flurona is a double infection. COVID and the flu at the same time.

Terrific! Things will continue to get worse before better.

There are many unhappy with vaccine mandates. An Australian has demonstrated his feeling in an exceptionally dramatic fashion. The Melbourne man set himself and his car on fire. He was in the car at the time. Poured gasoline on himself first.

Fortunately, his life was saved by the quick action of 5 police officers and some bystanders. Police were able to pour water on the individual while removing him from the car.

His injuries are described as “life threatening.”

The pandemic continues to be out of control in Florida. Floridians continue to ask where are you Governor DeSantis? What are you doing to help?

Governor, come home to Kew. It’s lilac time.

Enjoy your day!

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