Key West Lou / LAURA A BIGGIE

First my blog talk radio show from last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Never happened.

The show operates over my land line. My land line was dead! Called Comcast. They could not fix it. A repair man is scheduled for 5 this afternoon.

Such is life.

Wow, Laura is surprising everyone.

Five days ago it was a developing tropical storm. The cone was heading for the Keys.

Laura became a tropical storm. Weather experts said don’t worry, a nothing. Not forming well. Will probably dissipate before it hits landfall.

The cone started moving. No longer over Key West. The cone made it appear Laura would merely brush Key West. No big deal.

Suddenly, Laura was a Category 1. Moved south. Florida out of it completely. Hit Cuba and Puerto Rico hard, however.

Laura appeared to be gaining strength. Was now in the Gulf heading for Louisiana. Might be a Category 2.

Last night, it was a Category 3 and heading for Texas and Louisiana.

This morning it is in the process of becoming a Category 4. It will hit Texas and Louisiana as a 3 or 4.

All this happening in 5 days.

Hurricanes are fickle. This the most fickle I have observed.

Started off as a nothing and now a Category 4.

I was watching some Texas and Louisiana residents on TV this morning. Most are staying. Too late to get out they feel. One said he did not want to deal with the bumper to bumper traffic.

Irma was a 4. Irma did significant damage in the Keys when it became a 4. Irma was supposed to hit Key West right on as a 5. Moved a bit to the left and went over Key West as a 1. Turned slightly right again and was on a direct path over the Keys.

Cudjoe Key is 16 miles north of Key West. Irma was a 4 when it hit.

If you read Irma and Me, I described the damage I saw upon returning to Key West a week later. Terrible!

I got out of “Dodge” 5 days before Irma arrived. At that time, it was projected Irma would hit Key West as a Category 5. Scared me.

A tough night ahead for those still in Texas and Louisiana when Laura hits. A prayer is in order.

Dodge, again.

I read last night an article describing Key West as an “open city.” All I could think of was Dodge.

Why the open city description? TV channels 10, the Weather Channel and CNN showed scenes of Duval and tourists up and down Duval. Note that locals rarely go down to Duval in the day time.

Less than 10 percent of the revelers on Duval were wearing masks and social distancing.

Key West has mask and social distancing orders. Problem is they are not being enforced. Rules are of no value in combating coronavirus unless enforced.

Yesterday’s blog contained the story of the 20 year old young lady who had a heart attack. The paramedics and emergency room doctor declared her dead.

Her body was sent to a funeral parlor. As the funeral director was about to begin the embalming process, her eyes opened and she began breathing.

Last I knew, she was in the hospital in critical condition.

John Galt is a loyal blog reader. Comments frequently.

He suggested that historically being buried alive was not uncommon. “Safety coffins” were devised to help the supposed dead when they became aware they had been buried.

The time the 17th and 18th centuries.

The living became aware of the problem by the voices of those buried. Digging up the body not always timely. Bodies were found in or partially out of coffins. Hands generally in rough shape from digging attempts to get out.

Buried when alive was a concern of George Washington. He ordered that he not be buried for 3 days. Alfred Noble ordered his arteries be cut open. Frederic Chopin ordered his heart be cut out.

A serious problem.

The safety coffin was invented. A rope was attached inside the coffin. The other end was above ground attached to a pole or tombstone. It had a bell hanging on it. If the person buried should not have been, the “deceased” would ring the bell and hopefully someone would hear it.

The term “saved by the bell” came into being. Fitting.

Most view saved by the bell as a fighting term. It is. However a number of historians attribute the term’s origin to the safety coffin.

Thank you, John Galt.

Last evening was the second night of the Republican Convention. Failed to turn me on. Not because I dislike Trump. Rather I expected more and better from the show man.

The show in general went after Biden. He was referred to as a “swamp creature, communist dictator, and not being a nice guy.”

Lies were abundant. I cannot understand how Trump’s guests spouted the lies they did. What could they hope to gain?

Impossible for Trump to be reelected. His track record in office the worst ever for a President.

If I am wrong, the U.S. will not be a place I would want to spend my last few years. I have been looking. Portugal appealing.

The mighty fall.

Exxon a gas and oil giant for almost a century. For 92 years, it has been part of the Dow Jones Average. It will no longer be as of September 1.

Exxon will still be in business. Profitable, though not as profitable as in past years.

New type companies are responsible for Exxon and other long term companies dropping down status wise. New kids on the block. Companies like Amazon.

Coronavirus a contributing factor to Exxon’s problems, also.

Hackley’s diary entry for this date 1855 contained the following: “The baby had a fever again.”

The baby has been sick for months. I worry.

Enjoy your day!

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