Key West Lou / OH, THE PAIN

Oh, the pain! Not my back. Syracuse’s loss last night. Louisville decimated Syracuse 85-61.

A sign of how bad things have become is the cell phone texting involving me and other Syracuse fans. We have been texting through Syracuse games for years. Hip, hip hooray or shit!

Now nothing. Why? Because we have all become “dying” fans. Not literally, of course. Either not watching every game or too upset to even convey our bad feelings to each other.

I never thought this day would come.

The Los Angeles wildfires. Ongoing. Twenty four hours a day. Additional strong winds on the way which will cause fires to spread even more. The fires move with exceptional speed. Here, there and everywhere. New evacuation orders constant.

The insurance crisis I warned is already being discussed. Becoming evident. Noises being made about not enough money to cover all the losses. Available funds will be insufficient to no more available. Insufficient funds mean insolvency. It will leave a large number of policyholders depending solely on federal funds which will also reach a limit. What then?

A disaster no one paid sufficient attention to happening.

Pete Hegseth’s hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee took place yesterday. He was buried by the Democrats, held up by the Republicans. A disgraceful hearing overall. The Senate failing in its obligation. I fear Hegseth will be approved by the Committee. Republican Senator Ernst advised last night she would support the candidate.  I was disappointed in her approval. She is a former military person. Hegseth has consistently advised women should not have “fighting” positions in the military. The Senator capitulated to Trump.

Hegseth had no easy task. He is however a charmer and TV type announcer. Nevertheless, he has had a messy life and skillfully avoided responses to his sexual abuse history, alcohol drinking, financial mismanagement and lack of experience for the Defense Secretary position.

I found amusing that the most persons he has ever been responsible for/managed in the past was 100. The military alone is 3.4 million.

I came away from watching him with the following conclusions: He is a smooth talker, has been redeemed by his Savior (He threw God into the mix several times), does 5 sets of 47 pushups a day, and the Republicans on the Senate Committee proudly covered his shameful ass.

Two prominent persons have entered the limelight where Trump is concerned. Speaker Johnson and Michelle Obama.

Trump is pissed the American flag would be flown at half mast on Inauguration Day. It is being flown in honor of Carter who recently died. A better man than Trump will ever be.

Trump does not care about the Carter respect item. His concern is that it will take away from attention to his inauguration. He has been complaining.

Speaker Johnson announced yesterday that for one day, Inauguration Day, the flag will return to its normal position.

Shame on you Speaker Johnson! You and Trump combined are insufficient to make one Carter.

Michelle Obama is doing her thing. What she believes is correct from her perspective. Good for her!

Regardless of what is being said re her absence, she did not attend Carter’s wake because she did not wish to sit next to Trump. It is now announced she will not attend Trump’s inauguration nor entertain Donald and Melania in the White House prior to transition as has been the custom. Michelle’s attitude is well taken: Screw you Donald for all the bad/evil/untrue things you said about my husband!

The job market continued to surge in December. Two hundred fifty six thousand new jobs. Only 155,000 were expected.

The projection for this year under Trump is that inflation will continue or slightly go up. Groceries and fuel prices will remain the same.

I do not agree. What happens will depend on what Trump does. If he is able to do many of the things promised, our economy will be in poor shape. Even before year’s end.

An interesting Citizens’ Voice this morning. Concerned Key West tree cutting. Twenty seven trees are being cut on the 900 block of Caroline. A request is under consideration to cut 211 trees at Searstown. Who authorizes these mass undertakings? Trees provide shade. Especially on Caroline. Cut power usage/air conditioning bills. Why 211 trees at Searstown? I didn’t even know there were that many. Someone tell me why these trees in both places are being cut.

I close with my personal observation that Democrats will return to power. Two reasons involved.

The first is that Democrats will have seen the error of their ways and corrected them.

Secondly, Trump will screw up sufficiently to cause many who voted for him to return to voting for the Democratic Party.

Enjoy your day!

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