Key West Lou / IT’S RAINING VIOLETS…..

It’s raining violets!

Not really. Though it is raining.

This is Saturday morning. Eta continues on its way. Perhaps to us.

Eta was a Category 4 when it went over Nicaragua. Then lost strength.

Eta presently moving over the Caribbean heading for Cuba. Regenerating. Will definitely be a tropical storm or hurricane when it hits Cuba.

Then Florida! Which means heavy rain, a tropical storm, or a full blown hurricane.

Yesterday it was reported to be prepared for 9 inches of rain beginning tomorrow night and into Monday. This morning’s warning 10-15 inches with wind. How much wind no one seems to know at the moment.

All of South Florida is under flood watch.

My sense is few if any in Key West are worrying. I just ordered groceries and did not order any of the usual hurricane foods I normally do.

Going to be an interesting weekend and Monday.

Key West seems to be the place people run off to who want to drink and raise hell, especially when they cannot do so where they live.

Last weekend 2,000 Miami college students arrived unexpectedly in Key West. To party, of course.

They came to Key West because Miami authorities had advised they were going to spend the weekend checking underage drinking.

Florida’s drinking age is 21. Confuses me why they would come to Key West to drink. Key West’s drinking age is the same as all Florida, 21.

Perhaps the 2,000 felt Key West would not be checking them as Miami intended to do.

I assume the bars made money. I assume some of the 2,000 brought coronavirus with them. Key West seems to be the ash can of the Keys regarding the virus. Significantly more confirmed cases in Key West than any other community in the Keys.

I have been informed there was a brawl on Duval involving the students. I know nothing else about it.

One case of coronavirus was reported this week involving a Key West High School student. All parents have been notified. Spot checking will be done to determine a spread, if any.

There was a time when shrimp was the Key West industry. No more. Not for years.

However 1954 was a big year in the industry. Monroe County’s shrimp production was 1,300,000 pounds. Heads-on shrimp. Dock side value $4 million.

I am concerned with the politicization of the Supreme Court.

Justice Alito is a far right conservative. He has been a Justice for many years. His approach to the law similar to Justice Scalia’s.

Alito’s public appearances are few. However most have left me with the feeling over the years that Alito respects no one but himself.

The U.S. has been divided into areas covered by one Justice alone. For emergency situations. The Justice hears the matter in person or by phone. If required, makes an immediate decision and many times if it is so deemed, directs the case to the entire Supreme Court for emergency attention.

Pennsylvania and ballot counting in the news. An important issue.

It came before Alito in one of these emergency situations. It involved mail in ballots received after 5 pm election day. An earlier order by the Supreme Court as a whole had decided that they could be received, but kept separate up to a certain point. I believe sometime yesterday.

The Republican Party said the order was not being followed. The ballots were not being kept separate. Such is the issue Alito had to entertain on a sole basis.

Initially, I was bothered that the Republican Party as an entity itself was bringing a violation case. It further concerned me that Alito was the one initially hearing it.

Politicization stuck out like a sore thumb.

After getting into it, I can say there was nothing out of the ordinary. Alito performed per law.

My one concern was that the Republican Party itself brought the lawsuit. It seems to me it might not be considered a proper party to do so.

The up front problem was that I was immediately uncomfortable. Thought politicization immediately. With justification based on Alito’s prior actions.

No one looking to the Court for help should ever get that feeling or have to fight a case where such is thought to be involved.

A primary reason Alito concerns me is his conduct in 2010 and since involving a President’s State of the Union address.

Obama was openly critical in his address of the Supreme Court’s decision the previous year in Citizens United v. FEC. The famous “corporations are people” decision.

The decision opened the door for corporations to spend as much money as they liked on indirect political campaign contributions.

All major federal officials attend the State of Union address. Not mandatory. However part of U.S. tradition and also out of a sense of respect for the event.

Supreme Court Justices attend in their robes. Are provided front row seats.

While Obama was saying what he wanted to re Citizens United, Alito was shaking his head in obvious disagreement and mouthing “not true.”

Alito has refused to attend all subsequent State of the Union addresses since 2010.

Actually, three Justices fail to attend.

One is Justice Thomas. He considers the addresses “partisan.” Even when the President making the address is a Republican.

Justice Scalia, prior to his death, refused for years saying the whole thing was “strange…..we sit there liked potted plants.”

The three forget some jobs/positions require attendance at certain matters out of respect or tradition.

Obama’s comments that night were short and to the point. He said the decision opened “the floodgates for special interests…..I don’t think an election should be bankrolled by America’s most powerful interests, or worse, by phony entities.”

Another Syracuse football Saturday. My team plays Boston College at Syrcuse. Boston College is 4-3, Syracuse 1-6. Boston College favored.

I always enjoyed Boston College games. Every other year, the Syracuse/Boston College game was played in Boston. We would go! Several cars in a caravan. All friends. Couples.

It was a Friday to Sunday thing. We drove to Boston Friday. Stayed at the Wharf Hotel. I’m sure I have the name wrong. It has been many years. What I clearly recall is the hotel was magnificent.

We partied Friday night. Attended the game Saturday afternoon. Left from the game to party some more.

Those were the days!

Enjoy your day!

[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]