KEY WEST LOU / ISRAEL-HAMAS CONFLICT AFFECTS ALL THINGS

War touches everything and everyone. The Israeli-Hamas conflict a recent example. An Opinion piece in yesterday’s Washington Post clearly identifies it: “Bethlehem usually comes alive at Christmas. Not this year. In the Holy Land, celebrations have been canceled: No parades, no bazaars, no public tree lightings. In my country, Jordan, where Jesus was baptized, our Christian community has chosen to do the same.”

Yesterday’s Stars and Luminaries noted the birthdays at 86 years of age of two major stars of yesteryear, Jane Fonda and Phil Donahue. Contemporaries of mine. Stars I grew up with.

Speaker Johnson’ wife is openly anti-gay. She took down her website last week which reflected her anti-gay advocacy. Her firm Onward Christian Counseling Service had stated homosexuality is equivalent to bestiality and incest.

Florida’s Orange County School District removed 673 books from Orange County classrooms this year because they purportedly violated State rules which prohibit making “sexual conduct” available to public school students. Many of the books are classics and bestsellers.

Included were John Milton’s Paradise Lost, John Grisham’s The Firm, John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, and John Irving’s The World According to Garp. Other classics included A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, The Color Purple, Catch-22, and Brave New World.

Interestingly, the Bible was not banned. Some school districts have because of its many sexual reflections. Apparently the Orange County School District was fearful of taking on God.

A Washington Post cartoon yesterday reflected that for Justices Thomas and Alito everyday is Christmas.

Today’s podcast trip back in history reflects on politicians being whores.

Syracuse won one and lost one yesterday. Won in basketball, was devastatingly defeated in football.

In basketball, beat Niagara 83-71. Syracuse played well and was even more ahead with 4 minutes left in the game. They stopped playing as they had throughout the game. They sort of walked up and down the court knowing they had won the game. Niagara closed the gap. If a few more Niagara 3s had dropped, the game could have been lost. Coach Autry was upset with what occurred and spoke clearly about it in his post game comments.

Syracuse’s play in the Boca Raton Bowl ended what was a crappy season for the Orange. South Florida beat the hell out of Syracuse 45-0. I’m glad the football season has finally ended. It was a horrible year. As the Brooklyn Dodgers of old would say, wait till next year.

Next year has all the indicia of being a much better one. Perhaps a great one. A star quarterback and new coach. Ohio State’s quarterback Kyle McCord opted for the transfer portal and signed with Syracuse for next year. He led Ohio State to an 11-1 record this past season. He and new coach Fran Brown attended the game together.

I had planned to watch the games at Jack Flats. The first game began at 5. Around 3, I was suddenly very tired. Decided to skip both games at Jack Flats and watch on TV at home. Could not get the games on TV. Only where the games stood every few minutes. It was ok. I was that tired. Missed nothing as far as the football game was concerned.

The NRA’s finances are declining. Hooray for the bad guys! May their pain continue!

The NRA’s most recent tax return shows deposits taking in $211 million last year. However, the organization ended “deep into the red, leading to a $22 million deficit.”

The return “reveals dramatic declines along almost every conceivable metric revenue, assets, member dues, lobbying, and political spending – with conversely sharp increases in legal costs and defeats.”

Couldn’t have happened to a better bunch!

A World War II hero in his own right. U.S. Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe was in the midst of the Battle of the Bulge.. Hitler’s forces were initially winning. A German victory would have led to defeat of the Allied forces overall. Perhaps loss of the War itself.

The Germans offered/demanded the surrender of American forces. McAuliffe rejected in a one word response: “Nuts!”

His reply has been memorialized in history and will ever be recalled.

On this day in 2010, President Barrack Obama signed a law allowing gays for the first time to serve openly in the American military, repealing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

Tonight, Brady’s Irish Pub for  its friday special Polish pierogis. The place will be packed. Ed Swift’s second friday night of trolley car rides around Key West to view the beautifully decorated homes for Christmas begins from Brady’s. People will arrive early in typical Key West fashion. Dressed in Christmas attire and full of the holiday spirit.

Enjoy your day!

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