The first thing I did yesterday morning after writing my blog was to compose my next KONK Life column. I have to do each one at least 10 days prior to publication. The one I did yesterday will not appear till next week.

Oil companies are whores. The column was about one of them. Chevron. Its experiences with two spills.

In the early 1990s, Texaco dumped contaminated waste products into the tributaries of the Amazon River flowing through Ecuador. Some time thereafter, Chevron purchased Texaco and assumed its liabilities.

Chevron did not want to pay for the damage done to lives and the Ecuadorian rain forest as a result of the Texaco contamination. Chevron closed down its operations in Ecuador, laid its employees off, took their money out of Ecuadorian banks, and skipped town.

The Ecuadorians damaged now have an $18 billion dollar judgment they cannot collect. Chevron left no assets in Ecuador to attach.

Now comes Brazil. Late last year there was a rig spill in the Atlantic off the coast of Rio de Janiero. Chevron was operating the rig involved. Brazil was fearful Chevron would do the same thing it did in Ecuador. Skip town. No way. A Brazilian court banned 17 key Chevron and Ttransocean employees from leaving the country. Transocean of BP fame and the Gulf spill.

Chevron is now stuck in Brazil. Chevron will eventually be required to pay for what ever damages it is responsible.

Afterwards, I walked. Through my island. Key Haven. Two homes under significant construction. One two doors from mine. Someone bought a home on the ocean, tore it down and is now building a mammoth new home. The other is a major reconstruction of a standing home. Doubling its size. A block from me.

Both constructions are in the $2-4 million dollar range.

A sign that things are on the upswing? Hopefully.

I walked again after lunch in the afternoon. Key Haven for the second time. I am into this good health kick.

The second walk tired me out.

Sloan was in to work with me for a while at dinner time. Moving from Friend to Fan on Facebook is an ordeal.

I hurried into town after Sloan left. Son in law Corey was giving a talk on African cemeteries in Key West. The setting for the presentation was outside in front of the Mel Fisher Museum. Corey has been the Chief Archaeologist there for more than 25 years.

An excellent presentation. The Africans are buried in the Higgs Beach area near West Martello Fort on both sides of the street.

Then to the Chart Room. JJ and a bar of tourists. Had a drink and chatted a bit.

Stopped at Don’s Place on the way home. Bebe there. I have not seen her in months. She looked terrific, as usual. We hugged and kissed in greeting. Rob, Jimmy, John and Puff at Don’s also. I visited a while with Jimmy. We covered everything from painting to golf to the Green Parrot to his lady Joanie.

Finally to home and bed.

Enjoy your day!

3 comments on “

  1. Thanks for mentioning me yesterday, Lou. I'm still up in Hallandale Beach doing the same things I did in Key West; except, I'm not in Key West!!! Best regards, Marty.

  2. try the gravy at pepe's over some bo's fishwagon hand cut fries. awesome! sunny and 80 degrees in columbia,sc……….BYRDMAN

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