Key West Lou / WEDDINGS GO ILLEGAL IN NEW YORK STATE

We live in strange times. Primarily the result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Extreme problems call for equally extreme solutions.

Wearing masks and social distancing a problem.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has done a great job in getting Covid-19 under control. From the worst numbers to probably the best. His goal now to keep new cases down. Understandably, he does not want New York to return to where it was.

Cuomo is constantly implementing new rules, extinguishing other rules. His purpose again to keep New York’s numbers down.

Not everyone agrees with him, of course. However, he has done extremely well so far. Difficult to argue with success.

New York has a new set of rules. Dancing is banned in bars and restaurants, even wedding receptions of more than 50. Included in the new exclusions also are darts, pool, cornhole, karaoke, and exotic dancing.

Zero in on weddings.

The penalty for failing to abide by the no dancing rule carries a severe penalty. Not to the couple being wedded. Rather to the owner/operator where the wedding is being held. The loss of the establishment’s liquor license.

I am not certain how long the new rule has been in effect. However where there is a will, there is a way. Those being married withhold the location of the event to the last minute.

Sort of like prohibition. New York wedding parties are yesterday’s speakeasies.

Cuomo’s record spectacular so far. However in this instanced has he gone a step too far?

The decision is in the hands of a federal judge in Albany.

From what I have been able to determine, the issue is the number of persons rather than the event itself. Why “50?” Should the ban be an absolute one or the number of days different?

Reminds me of an old song with the words “strange things are happening.”

Epidemics/pandemics cost money. Significant dollars.

A recent report details costs. Coronavirus far and away the most costly. No competition.

Costs of recent epidemics/pandemics: SARS (2003) $40 billion, H5N1 (2006) $40 billion, H1N1 (2009) $45 billion, Ebola (2014) $55 billion, Covid-19 (2020) $8 trillion.

A message here. Investing in public health preparedness is FAR CHEAPER than the economic impact of a pandemic.

Italy got hit bad by coronavirus. They have brought it under control, though cases are still occurring.

Italy’s top medical authority reported that 75 percent of all people who died from coronavirus had high blood pressure.

I’m so proud of our President. He has come up with another medical cure for the virus. Not quite in the class of drinking or injecting one’s self with bleach. Bad in its own right, however.

Trump announced the FDA had authorized the use of “convalescent plasma” for Covid-19. He described it as an “emergency authorization…..truly historic.”

Doctors and scientists immediately and in aligner said it could not be. One major problem is that there has been insufficient testing.

Trump of course was all excited on TV yesterday in making the announcement. He had the head of the FDA with him. No Dr. Falci or others normally on stage.

The announcement nothing more than a political ploy. Trump thinks the American people are stupid. He is smarter than all of them. Good luck! Very, very few will buy the new cure as reported.

Trump cares not about the health of the American people. He would rather bullshit them as in the announcement. Truth means nothing to him. The glory of the falsehood is what is important.

The Republican Convention begins this evening. Going to be interesting. I am anxious to see what Trump and the Republicans consider important. I suspect Trump will be all over the Convention 4 evenings in a row. The publicity advantage will be too much for him to avoid.

On this day in 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted. Buried Pompeii and an adjoining community. Thousands killed. Their bodies and homes buried for centuries beneath thick layers of volcanic material and mud.

In the modern era, archaeologists have been digging and uncovering the ruins.

I saw 2 similar situations in my European travels. Though neither anywhere near the size of Vesuvius.

One was in Navarro, Italy. What I saw in Navarro is commonplace throughout Italy and other parts of what once was the Roman Empire.

The Romans marked off a large piece of land. Dug beneath the surface a number of feet. Exact amount, I am not sure. Could have been as much as 10 feet.

Whole communities were erected sub-surface. Dirt the floor, walls and ceilings. Rooms, walkways, etc. The Roman soldier lived in such excavations. Protected from everything and everyone.

The perimeter area top side was a wall of large stones.

I was impressed.

The other instance was in Athens.

Acropolis is the mountain. Parthenon sits upon it. There are two “play areas” on different sides at the foot of Acropolis.

I describe them as the “rich” and “poor” sides. The rich, expensive restaurants and the like. The poor cheaper with outdoor cafes, tiny restaurants, bars, stands selling everything. The poor side at least a thousand establishments.

Plus some buildings still standing from centuries ago. My favorite each time I visited was Hadrian’s Library.

I preferred the poor side. More fun. It was there I Greek danced and broke dishes. Dressing casual.

Parthenon at the top of Acropolis can be seen from both sides. Especially beautiful in the evening when Parthenon is lighted.

It was lunch time. I was walking the poor area looking for a place to have lunch and write my day’s blog. I found a nicely shaded out door cafe for lunch.

There was a fence behind me that I could see through. Men were working excavating homes and other things that had been buried a good 20 feet. Like Roman barracks and Pompeii. Actual houses and furniture could be seen.

The area being uncovered was small.

I wanted to know what it was. Where and why it was there.

I asked many. No one knew who understood English. I did not understand Greek. Ergo, I never found out.

Two days ago, 2 hurricanes were on the way. Marco the worst. However no concern to Key West. Would head into the Gulf and hit Louisiana.

Laura presented no problem for Key West. Though the right side of the cone was initially going over Key West. No concern because it was a tropical storm, might never hit hurricane status, and probably dissipate before reaching Florida.

In the interest of safety, certain evacuations were mandated. If we were staying, we were told to stock up, etc. The usual routine.

Laura never hit Key West or Florida. Moved south. Went over the southern side of Cuba. Now heading for Louisiana and expected to make landfall as a Category 2.

Marco turned into a nothing.

When I sailed, I was told wind was fickle. Always changing direction and speed. Hurricanes are the same.

Baby care apparently a big problem in 1855 Key West. William Hackley mentioned in his diary entry of today that Matilda had 2 boils. One on each breast. He further mentioned that the baby was still having a problem with breast milk. Matilda was not producing enough and what she did may not have been the best for the baby.

Moving to 1896 and May Johnston’s diary entry for yesterday.

She went to La Brisa. Always going to La Brisa. Apparently her mother did not like her 20 year old daughter going to La Brisa.

May wrote: “Came home Mama raised the devil because I went out there. I ‘cussed’ liked the devil and raved and mad.”

She concluded her diary entry with: FURIOUS.

Enjoy your day!

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