LET MY PEOPLE GO!

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Let my people go! Famous Biblical line. Moses speaking to Pharaoh.

A similar situation exists involving Florida keys’ residents. This morning’s Key West Citizen in a major front page article told the story of Aziza Petro and her two children 11 and 4 who are being held hostage in Turkmenistan.

Aziza has dual citizenship. U.S. and Turkmenistan. She was born in Turkmenistan.

She lives and works in the Key West area. Married to Mike. Mike is a well known realtor and political figure. Their two children are Mercedes and Mikey.

Aziza’s mother died two years ago. Aziza and the children returned to Turkmenistan to visit her mother’s grave. They were to return home July 1. The Turkmenistan government refused to let them out. The government did not recognize Aziza’s American citizenship. Claim she is stuck in the country. The fact that the two children were born in the United States and have no connection to Turkmenistan appears immaterial. They are not being permitted to leave.

A tragedy!

All members of the Petro family suffering.

I make mention of Aziza’a story because I met her some four months ago. I was at the outside bar at Louie’s. As was Aziza. She had an hour to kill while waiting to pick her husband up at the airport.

The conversation was interesting. I was impressed with Aziza’s sense of community responsibility. She proudly showed me pictures of her children and husband. We spoke of my Albanian friend Flora who I met on Amorgos. Albania and Turkmenistan are both former Soviet Union block countries. Turkmenistan still being run like one.

I wrote about my meeting with Aziza in my blog the next morning.

Aziza and her children cannot get out of a country. There is also the story of another local who cannot get into a country.

Friday, Secretary of State Kerry will be in Havana for the raising of the American flag at the U.S. Embassy. The Cuban government is refusing to allow who they describe as “dissidents” to participate. Credentials to enter Cuba are being denied to some. One such person is Key West’s own Rob O’Neal.

Rob’s relationship with Cuba goes back years. He has lived there. Married a Cuban. Spent years trying to get his wife to the United States. Rob has not had a kumbaya relationship with the Cuban government. Ergo, he is not being permitted to attend the Havana flag raising.

My relationship with Rob is limited. However, he is well known and loved in Key West. He is a friend of my daughter Lisa. He took her wedding pictures. Rob is a professional photographer and is the Citizen’s photographer. His press credentials could not gain him admission to Cuba for friday’s event.

Jimmy Carter has cancer. Sad. Not a Presidential great, he has become the best ex President ever. His good works since leaving office are world wide. I wish him well.

Bocce season begins tonight. I am excited!

This week’s KONK Life column is Hemingway’s First Love. It was linked to my Key West Lou website this morning. keywestlou.com. Read it. You will find the story interesting and informative.

Enjoy your day!

HEMINGWAY’S FIRST LOVE

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Ernest Hemingway was 18 years old. William Robertson described him as “…..untested in love, war or writing.” Not for long, however.

 

It was the spring of 1918. World War I was raging. Hemingway went to Italy to become a Red Cross ambulance driver. Within one short year, he became expert in love and war. Soon thereafter, in writing.

 

Hemingway was severely wounded by mortar fire. Shrapnel in his legs. After suffering the wounds, dragging himself along he assisted several Italian soldiers to safety. He received the Italian Silver Medal for Bravery.

 

He was sent to a hospital in Milan. His recovery took six months. During that time, Hemingway fell deeply in love with Agnes von Kurowsky. Agnes was a Red Cross nurse.

 

Plans were made to marry. Hemingway returned to the States. Agnes was to follow soon thereafter.

 

Agnes did not follow. Instead she sent Hemingway a Dear John letter.

 

The letter began, “I am writing this late of night after a long think by myself and I am afraid it is going to hurt you, but I’m sure it won’t harm you permanently…..”

 

Agnes was seven years older than Hemingway. In the letter, she referred to him as “kid, my kid.” She wrote she was fond of him “more as a mother than a sweetheart.”

 

Agnes broke Hemingway’s heart.

 

After Hemingway had left Italy and before she wrote Hemingway, Agnes fell in love with an Italian officer. The officer came from an influential and moneyed family. They never married. The Italian officer broke off the engagement. He became convinced she was marrying him for position and money.

 

Agnes had several such relationships after Hemingway. Strange that she felt it necessary to better herself via marriage or otherwise. She was already part of the social hierarchy. Her father had been a teacher of languages, an uncle a world famous Chicago architect, and a grandfather a general in the U.S. Army.

 

Agnes studied at a seminary school for ladies. She became a librarian. Her specialty cataloging. She found the position unexciting. She returned to school and became a nurse.

 

Agnes did not marry till 1928. She was twice married.

 

Hemingway and Agnes neither saw nor spoke to each other after the Dear John letter.

 

Hemingway went on to literary fame. Agnes a housewife who in later years returned to to work as a library cataloger.

 

Agnes maintained the relationship was an innocent flirtation. Hemingway viewed it as a loving affair, sex a definite part of it.

 

Agnes to her dying day denied sex was involved. In the Milan days, virtue was part and parcel of a woman. No sex before marriage. No living together before marriage. Agnes was preserving her public virginity by denying sexual involvement with Hemingway.

 

Hemingway kept his pain to himself. Except in his writings. Literary scholars believe the emotional effect of Agnes’ rejection molded his impression of women. The Agnes experience triggered his literary preoccupation with romantic loss.

 

Many believe Catherine Barkley in A Farewell To Arms was based on Agnes. They are also of the opinion she was the heroine in two short stories. A Very Short Story and The Snows Of Kilimanjaro.

 

Things get a bit murky. Agnes moved to Key West to live in 1951. She lived in Key West with her second husband till 1965. While in Key West, she worked at the Monroe County Library as a cataloger. She left in 1965 because she got sick of the conch train going by her home and announcing over the loudspeaker…..This is the house of Ernest Hemingway’s girl friend.

 

Agnes had always sought to keep her Hemingway relationship secret. She sought neither gain nor notoriety at any time.

 

Hemingway was dead. His fourth wife Mary returned to Key West to clean out a trunk of old papers stored at Sloppy Joe’s. Among the papers were Agnes’ letters to Hemingway, including the Dear John letter.

 

Mary met with Agnes. In fact, they met several times. Became friends. Mary returned to Agnes the letters written by Agnes to Hemingway. Most were passionate. Those letters were eventually given to Henry Villard who shared them and other documents with John Nagle, a Hemingway expert.

 

When Hemingway was in the hospital in Milan, a fellow patient was Henry Villard. Villard and Hemingway became best friends. A friendship that lasted their lifetimes. Villard became a prominent American diplomat.

 

Agnes needed a favor from Villard. This was after Hemingway’s death and while she was still living in Key West. She wrote Villard and told him that if he could arrange the favor (which had nothing to do with the Hemingway/Agnes relationship), she would surprise him at some point.

 

That time came upon Agnes’ death. Agnes had kept a diary of her relationship with Hemingway. She left the diary and letters previously mentioned to Villard.

 

The diary and letters were examined ad infinitum by literary experts. The issue became…..Did the two really have sex? Opinion falls on both sides of the issue.

 

Hemingway was a frequent traveler from Havana to Key West after he took up residence in Cuba. He never saw Agnes while in Key West. It is believed he never knew she resided in Key West.

 

Interesting. More interesting than fiction. The truth always is.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROOSTICA!

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Island living can’t be beat. Especially if the island is Key West!

This summer has been exceptional. The weather outstanding. Tourists many. Everyone happy. If there is a negative, it is the humidity. A bit heavy. To be expected. You get use to it after a while, however. Requires an extra shower most days.

Roostica celebrated its third anniversary monday. How quickly time moves. Seems the restaurant opened only yesterday.

Bobby Mongelli presently owns three Stock Island eateries. Roostica, Hogfish and Geiger Key. Rumor has it that he is contemplating a fourth on Stock Island.

I enjoyed dinner at Roostica last night. Ran into some bocce fans. They do not play. However show up every thursday evening to cheer teams on.

The new bocce season begins tomorrow night. Going to be interesting. We will be short staffed. People away. Only 5 players expected. I may have to play three games. I have not in years.

I spent yesterday afternoon fine tuning last night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

The show was limited to police incidents. Ferguson motivated. Sunday was one year since the Michael Brown shooting. Followed up Ferguson with several recent police incidents. Ended the show analyzing possible solutions.

Ferguson this year was marred with another shooting. Tyrone Harris.

My concern is with Oath Keepers. A citizen’s military group. Comprised of present and former military and law enforcement persons. A vigilante type group. Wearing military fatigues and carrying weapons.

They were all over Ferguson. The police did not interact with them. Local police were waiting for instructions from upstairs which never came.

Keep your eye on Oath Keepers. A bad situation developing. They are a law unto themselves.

Key West in recent months has had several changes suggested/under consideration. The most recent a proposed $115,000 study to see what could be done to improve Duval Street.

Turns out these recent ideas are the brain child of Thaddeus Cohen. Cohen is Key West’s new Planning Director. He has been on the job less than four months.

Cohen’s approach to the job appears to be too much too soon. Change for the sake of change is not wise. If something works, leave it alone. Do not waste money on studies Key West can ill afford. It has recently been advised Key West taxes will go up significantly as a result of the new budget..

Freedom of the press is being abused. The media is ignoring Bernie Sanders. He is bringing out crowds in the thousands. Little is reported. It gives one the feeling the media has decided who the players should be and are intentionally ignoring an upstart such as Sanders.

Trump, an upstart also, is getting great media play on the other hand.

It is wrong for the media to pick and choose candidates for us.

I am on in my years. A life time of living makes for a big experience factor. I have learned all that glitters is not gold.

China based stocks on U.S. exchanges had been doing well till recently. Extremely well. I gave serious consideration to investing in some. Glad I did not. The Chinese stocks have fallen dramatically since mid June.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

MIGHTY OAKS FROM LITTLE ACORNS GROW

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Mighty oaks from little acorns grow.

The old English phrase came to mind as I read this morning’s Key West Citizen. A picture of the then new Pier House Motel circa 1968 appeared on page 2. The seed of today’s magnificent hotel property.

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. I keep saying…..love the machine!

Then to another love. Tammy at Lee Nails. Manicure time.

Tammy shared that husband Ricky’s uncle and family had visited for the weekend. Uncle, wife and two children. Lots of people. Lots of cooking and eating. Lots of fun. She was tired, but still enthused from it all.

Tammy was born in Vietnam. She has lived in the U.S. 12 years. Her weekend reminded me of the visits by Italian relatives when I was a child. The same scenario.

The Cuban Coffee Queen my next stop. A Cuban cheese toast and Cuban coffee. Read the newspapers.

Spent the afternoon working on tonight’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics include the past week’s police fiascos, the U.S. Marshalls who raided the wrong apartment and required a mother and her two daughters to stand naked outside, a GMO update, gangs in America, free college educations, compulsory military service, and more.

The Chart Room first last night. Sheila and Jean there. Lovely people. Great personalities. The three of us a mutual admiration society. I enjoyed my time with them.

Decided to have dinner at Tavern ‘n Town. Struck gold! Met wonderful people.

Sat at the bar per my usual custom. Seated nearby were Bill and Joyce. Bill lives on Sugarloaf and Cindy on Cudjoe.

Bill originally from Pittsburg. He and his family are in the wholesale food business. Publix a customer. Bill’s company is known as Pati Petite Cookies.

Joyce a personality. Full of vim and vigor. Delightful. Beautiful. A contagious laugh. Recently retired.

There had to be a reason for Joyce’s bright honest exuberance. It finally came out. She is from Indiana!

Joyce has part time position. She is a roving security guard at Venture Out, a housing complex near Square Grouper. Roving the operative word. She rides a golf cart.

I felt a soft arm around me. It was Mary Ann Westerlund. A Key West friend of many years. Her husband Roger passed on two months ago. Mary Ann is getting along.

Bill and Joyce left. Mary Ann Westerlund appeared for a moment. Then came Lisa who sat where Bill and Joyce had. Lisa another great meet.

Lisa an orthodontist. Root canal specialist. She is from somewhere on the mainland. Has a Key West office in Perry Plaza that she visits each week.

Excellent company. Tired. Decided to stay overnight at the Marriott rather than drive back.

Lisa is married. Mother of two. Proudly showed me her children’s pictures. Her Dad badly ill. The concern heavy on her.

A lovely young lady. She is friends with my Key West dentist George Linder. I spent a few minutes boring her with the story of my implants which Dr. Linder did. Love my implants!

I finished the evening sitting alone at the bar with a snifter of Grand Marnier. Thinking what a pleasant evening, what nice people.

I wrote yesterday that Terri White would be appearing in New York on October 16 at the Kennedy Center. Did I screw the whole thing up!

Terri is appearing October 16 in Washington, DC in the Terrace Theater Upstairs at Kennedy Center. Thank you Marty from Blue Ridge for correcting me. I have not heard from Donna yet re the mistake. I am sure I will.

Enjoy your day!

THE WORLD IS UPSIDE DOWN…..

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I watch Morning Joe every day. Religiously.

Joe’s opening lines this morning sort of paraphrased the title of my book. The World Upside Down.

Joe opened with…..”The world is upside down. The political world is upside down.” The reference to media handling of Trump. Anti-Trump pitch, incorrect quote reporting and failing to recognize the mood of the country.

I have had similar thoughts the past two weeks. The media seem to want to take control of the election. Influence the electorate. Not the way things are supposed to be done. An unencumbered free press delivers information to the people. Influencing/controlling not the media’s responsibility.

I am normally up and at the computer between 5 and 6 in the morning. Not yesterday. My Saturday night went so late that I overslept. Woke at 8:30. I had to hustle to get yesterday’s blog out.

Sunday is writing day for me. My weekly KONK Life column. It is due at the publisher’s by Sunday. This week’s article concerns a Hemingway love affair. His first. Titled Hemingway’s First Love. Took several hours.

It’s good! Sorry to say so myself. It tells the whole story. The tale does not end soon after Hemingway left Italy. It involves events which occurred in Key West in the 1960s following his death. Revealing.

Dinner at Roostica last night. Spaghetti with meatballs and sausage special. The sauce the closest to that which my mother and grandmother made. My only complaint is that pork pieces are not available. The pork falls apart in the Roostica preparation. Pork adds to the flavor of the sauce. I miss having  pieces to eat.

One thing I continue considering odd.  My people called sauce sauce. Everyone in Utica called it sauce. I never heard gravy till Roostica opened. I raised the issue with other Italian-Americans here in Key West. All only knew sauce as gravy. Interesting.

Terri White coming east! She has a solo performance scheduled at The Kennedy Center in New York City on October 16. I hope she and Donna can find the time to shoot down to Key West for a few days afterwards.

I have mentioned here and on my blog talk radio show several times this past year of China’s move into the South China Sea.

China has been in the business of what might be described as land reclamation. They are building small islands where water previously existed. The purpose to erect airfields on the islands. It greatly extends China’s ability to exert dominance in the area.

Also involved is China’s naval buildup the past five years. China has swiftly constructed a large navy. Superior to anything the U.S. can place in the area. Our Navy has not received sufficient funds in recent years. We are spread too thin to counter China’s buildup in the South Seas area.

Time to pay attention.

Ferguson in the news again. Yesterday was the one year anniversary of Michael Brown’s death. Seems just like yesterday. There were demonstrations. Police in battle equipment again.

Things got out of hand. A black was shot. He is dead.

Reports this morning tell us that some blacks were yelling…..We are at war!

Bothersome. Apparently things have not improved in Ferguson.

Enjoy your day!

JACK KELLY

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My undergraduate school was Manhattan College. Over the past few years, Jack Kelly and I have run into each other at the Chart Room. Jack a Manhattan grad also. A bit younger than me. He graduated in 1968. I, 1957.

The Manhattan College thing provided instant bonding.

Jack once had a home on Cudjoe Key. Long gone. In recent years, he has been taking a week here and there to visit Key West.

Jack was at the Chart Room last night. Always good to see him. We talked a bit about Manhattan and some of the grads. One or two we both know. Then Jack surprised me. He is returning to Key West full time.

Jack is buying a home in Bayview. He is also in the process of closing on three restaurants. That’s returning big time!

One is the former Finnegan’s Wake. Last operated for several days as Backspace. Jack will be reopening it as Cayheuso. A tapas place.

Another is World of Beer. Near Sloppy Joe’s. Jack plans on naming the new establishment Jack Kelly’s Citizen. Such vanity! Not really. Turns out the location was the first home of the Key West Citizen.

The third place is on Front Street. Across from Two Guys. Not Island Dogs. Next door to Island Dogs. An empty two story commercial building.

The name of the new enterprise escapes me. Its purpose not. Jack intends it to be family friendly. In addition to food, etc., the restaurant will provide all kinds of games for the kiddies to busy themselves with. Even the parents.

Jack is retired Air Force. He presently lives in Washington, DC. He remains active with the Arnold Air Society.

Welcome back, Jack! Good luck!

Jack and I hung together for a few hours at the Chart Room. While there, I met Devin Callahan. A snow bird. He is in Key West frequently. Surprising we had not met before.

Then Wilk and Erin. Their second visit to Key West. Hail from Spring Lake, NJ. My cousin Lois had a summer home there and I frequently visited. A high rent district.

Wilk liked my watch. He kept looking at it and commenting. He has one similar to mine. The watch is nothing fancy. A SWATCH. I bought it at an airport kiosk in Athens three years ago.

I learned something about the watch. It is water proof. Never knew. He says he showers and everything with it on. Showed me on the back where it says Water-Resistant.

We got into Lobsterfest. Wilk and Erin are enjoying the event. He did mention however he was shocked when they had to pay $15 each for two broiled lobsters on the street. He initially thought the price out of line. So did I when he mentioned it. However after tasting and enjoying the lobsters, he said they were well worth it.

The high point of the conversation was when Wilk told me he was a Mercedes technician. Joy of joys! I bought a Mercedes 420 SEL new in 1987. Kept it 27 years before selling. In mint condition. Only 124,000 miles. Never driven in winter the last 20 years. Everything original and in good shape.

I took care of the Mercedes. Probably because it was the first expensive car I ever bought. Paid $54,000 cash in ’87. A lot of money for a car back then. A lot of money period!

Lobsterfest by the way appears to be a gigantic success this year. Makes me happy. Lots of kids. A family event.

Met Tyler and Sandy. Celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary. Congratulations! They are from Cherry Hills, NJ. It was a New Jersey evening.

Tyler is in real estate. Sandy a distributor for Wegmans. Sandy was surprised I knew of Wegmans. Not a southern supermarket. I explained I originally am from upstate New York. Ergo, know Wegmans.

Jack, Tyler, Sandy and I ended up having a late dinner at Michael’s. Great food! Enjoyed the veal chop. The dinner conversation enjoyable. Humorous on occasion. Jack, Tyler and Sandy good company.

The lovely Suzette bartending.

A long day ahead for me. I will be writing this week’s KONK Life column. The research is complete. It is the story of Ernest Hemingway and Agnes von Kurkowsky. Their love story. Agnes was Hemingway’s nurse when he was recovering from war wounds. Agnes is Catherine Barkley in A Farewell To Arms.

There is more to the story than most know. I will be tracing the impact of their love affair into the 1960s.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

$2 MILLION FISHER FAMILY AUCTION

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Late with the blog this morning. Sorry. Sloan came by early and we were busy a couple of hours.

Mel Fisher struck it rich in Florida keys waters. Deservedly so. He busted his ass and lived in abject poverty for some 15 years while searching for the mother lode. He knew it was out there some where when no one else believed.

Mel is long gone. His family continues to benefit.

Part of the treasure remained with the Fisher family. Not for the Museum or anyone else. The family decided to auction some of it.

The auction took place this past week in New york City. Took in $2 million. Great job, Mel! You did well for your family.

Lobsterfest time.

Last night, immediately after sunset, there was a Lobsterfest Duval Crawl. Participants paid. In return, received a tee shirt, a lanyard, 2 coupons for free Coronas and Krahen Rums. Plus whatever else people wanted to spend. Two Coronas not enough to get drunk on.

Today, a street fair on Duval. Arts and craft booths. In addition to lobster prepared every conceivable way.

There is also a live concert. From 1 pm to 10:30 pm. In front of Sloppy Joe’s.

A big time!

This morning’s Key West Citizen reported Harlem Suarez was indicted friday by a federal grand jury in Miami. Suarez is the 23 year old Stock Island resident who wanted to blow up a Key West beach. One of the charges involves the attempt to use a weapon of mass destruction. Maximum sentence, life in prison. Hope he gets life. Actually should be life plus a 100 years!

Love story writing not easy. I spent yesterday afternoon writing a short chapter. Revised it four times. Then deleted the chapter. It was terrible!

An easy night out. Hogfish. Sat at the bar, enjoyed one drink too many, and a lobster roll. Chatted with those around me. Local fishermen and tourists.

Enjoy your day!

 

REPUBLICAN DEBATES

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Pleasure time for Louis last night. The Republican debates. Love politics!

The first debate was scheduled for 5. I had to prepare. Went to Publix and bought all kinds of bad soul satisfying foods. Had to do things in proper fashion. I figured I would be TV bound six hours.

The debates.

Two debates wrong. The first group came over as second class citizens. An insult to those willing to make a run for President. No audience. Moderators inept. Questions bland.

They say Carly Fiorina distinguished herself. The only one to come out of the second class citizen group.

I was not impressed with Florina. I have been watching her the past two weeks. Her TV interviews prior to last night have been terrific. Her attire and hair right on. She also repeated on each occasion two separate canned lines that hit home. One tough woman.

Last night, she pulled a Hillary Clinton. She was different from the person in the earlier interviews. Her hair done differently. Stiff. The easy going smart looking woman drab. Even her suit. Which neither fit the event nor her image. Some sort of bland pink thing. It was not the Carly Fiorina I had come to know.

Everyone this morning is singing her praises. Wow, could she hand it out! They were referring to the two canned responses I had been hearing prior to the debate. No one seems to have picked up that they were canned, not spontaneous.

The second debate, the main event, an altogether different story. Top shelf, first class. The place packed. The moderators tough.

I was impressed with most of the candidates in the second event. The Republicans are fielding a good team of possibilities for 2016. Two should be eliminated from my perspective. Donald Trump and Rand Paul.

I thought Trump had it till last night. He is a buffoon.

Rand Paul not ready for prime time.

The moderators were hard on Trump. Unfairly. He handled matters well, however.

Jeb Bush is being knocked this morning on TV. Why, I do not understand. I thought he gave an impressive performance.

It was after one by the time I got to sleep. I watched the followup shows.

Rick Boettger is a local writer. A journalist. He writes a column weekly for KONK Life as I do. Recently, we have become friends. Rick and Cynthia are good people.

Rick’s column in this week’s KONK Life his last. He told the world he was getting things in order. He has prostate cancer. Finality not imminent. Yet, on the way. Sad the only way to describe the column and Rick’s circumstances.

I was extremely tired yesterday. Unusually so. It may be steroid withdrawal. I had been on steroids for a week. Off, two days. I spoke with a doctor friend. He suggested steroid withdrawal.

This Iran deal mind boggling. I know as much as you. Which is not much. We have to rely on our political leaders and their judgment. I have mentally lined up with those supporting the deal.

I fear if we do not come down on the side of approving the agreement, war in the next five years or so could be inevitable. The scenario reminds me of the League of Nations which the U.S. Senate voted against following World War I.

Enjoy your day!

POOR EMILY

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The Chart Room’s Emily has a problem. An eye problem. She is in Miami having it attended to. Hurry back, Emily. The Chart Room was not the same without you last night.

My day yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. Stopped steroid treatment two days ago. Back still holding up.

Went to the bank. Needed to hit the ATM.

Then to Harpoon Harry’s for lunch. Harpoon’s wednesday lunch special is a turkey meal. Like Thanksgiving. Turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes. All buried in gravy.

The Chart Room last night. Mari standing in for Emily. A good locals crowd. Enjoyed myself. Finally got to see Jean Thornton. Chatted with Sheila and David. Said hello to Kevin.

Met a popular Key West local. We had never met before. Sean came to the end of the bar where I was sitting. Sean and his wife Helen own the Grand Vin. Since 1997. Wine and beer. Best known as a place to sit and sip good wine. Grand Vin is the white house with a large round porch in the 1100 block of Duval.

Sean had a good sense of humor. I enjoyed my time chatting with him.

He is off to England today. His wife Helen is English. They are attending a baptism. Sean is of one of the Protestant faiths. I, Catholic. We got into a lengthy dialogue re baptism and confession.

I was at the Chart Room to meet Grant. We were going to have a drink together and then have dinner at Hot Tin Roof. Grant never showed.

I dined at the bar at Hot Tin Roof. Quiet.

Vanessa hosted. A lovely lady. Very beautiful. A Conch.

Anna left Amorgos at 6 this morning. A nine hour ferry boat ride to Athens. Sounds horrendous. Not really. When I did it for the first time several years ago, I thought how horrible it was going to be. To the contrary, it was fine. Actually, terrific. An experience.

The ferry boat is huge. Carries 500 people plus vehicles. Top floor is what we in the U.S. call a first class lounge. In Greece, referred to as business class. Greek business class is U.S. first class. An extremely large room with all type comfortable chairs. Great food. Fine service. Huge windows. I read, slept, ate and watched the Greek isles move by.

Greece and Key West have some things in common. One is immigrants arriving by water.

A few days ago, 87 Syrians landed on my favorite island Amorgos. They were in what I would describe as a large dinghy. Escaping the war.

The immigrants were provided medical attention, showered, fed and sent off to Naxos. Naxos is an island near Amorgos I never got to. The Mayor of Naxos welcomed them. They were provided with travel documents. Necessary to get to where ever they wanted to go. Most will not remain in Greece. They have other destinations in mind. Greece has made it easy for them to get where ever. Which means, the Syrian immigrants are out of Greece in a very short time.

Wisdom involved.

My KONK Life column this week is The Stealing of America. How money has bought our elected officials. The column hit the stands yesterday. It was linked this morning to my KONK Life website.

Republican Presidential debates tonight. Starting at 5. I am a political junkie. Love it all! I will sit at home in a comfortable chair watching the debates.

Food a problem. Cup board bare again. Very. I will be shopping later this morning. Buying the usual and also some special goodies to enjoy this evening while watching the debates.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

THE STEALING OF AMERICA

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Money controls elections. Election results provide control of Congress, the decision making process of government. Results even control Presidents.

 

There is an old saying…..He who pays the fiddler calls the tune. How true!

 

Big money controlling the government has resulted in elected politicians becoming feudal serfs of those who have the money. Elected officials no longer represent the people. Major corporations and the rich reap the benefits of laws that make it easier for them to increase their net worth and profitability. To the detriment of the American people.

 

Former President Carter recently said that the United States was an oligarchy. He was correct. He said the United States became that way because of unlimited political bribery. Correct again.

 

Carter claims that large unlimited contributions by the rich are “…..a complete subversion of our political system as a payoff to major contributors.” He observed that elected officials consider “…..unlimited money as a great benefit to themselves.”

 

Our elected representatives are dance house ladies willing to dance with anyone who can pay their way. Major corporations and the rich buy all the tickets.

 

Million dollar contributions are the direct result of Citizen United decided several years ago. Recall, corporations are persons, they have a right to be heard, etc. Called freedom of speech. Citizen United and subsequent decisions paved the way. The modus operendi. Contributions would be to super PACs. The money in turn found its way into candidate’s coffers. All legal.

 

For years, the United States recognized the danger of large amounts of money influencing elected persons. Contributions were limited. Today, unbridled.

 

A perfect example is Hedge-Fund magnate Roger Mercer. He donated $11 million to a super PAC supporting Ted Cruz. If he had donated directly to Cruz’s campaign, his contribution would have been limited to $2,700.

 

Who is screwing who here?

 

Today, there are three ways to make contributions to candidates.

 

The first is the old fashioned method of personal direct payment. Limited by law. The $2,700 thing. The second is the relatively new super PAC indirect way which permits corporations and the rich to give unlimited dollars into the millions. The third involves contributions via non profit groups. Referred to as 501(c) (4) contributions. Disclosure not required.

 

Quite frankly, the nonprofit one confuses me. I cannot figure it out. All I know is that the contributor to the nonprofit fund is not disclosed. Important to those who do not want the public to know who they might be trying to influence or buy.

 

Analyzing which candidate is taking in the most money is difficult. Direct contributions are one item. Super PACs another. Considered separately for accounting and disclosure purposes.

 

Via the direct contribution route Hillary Clinton as of 7/31 had raised. $47.5 million. She had raised twice as much as any other candidate. Jeb Bush raised only $11.4 million re the direct donation route. A far cry from Clinton’s $47.5 million. However, Bush had raised considerably more when super PAC monies were considered. Bush had raised $103 million as opposed to Clinton’s $15.6 million.

 

Scott Walker announced his candidacy on July 13. Within days, Wisconsin billionaire Diane Hendricks contributed $5 million to the Walker Super PAC. In two weeks, Walker took in $20 million total via super PAC contributions. He even announced he was going to finance his candidacy with super PAC dollars rather than direct contributions.

 

Walker appears to be a favorite among super PAC contributors. His Wisconsin governor years have been supported by the Koch brothers. In addition to the $5 million Hendricks contribution, Marlene Ricketts gave $4.9 million. The owners of the Chicago Cubs $2.5 million.

 

Then there are those candidates who have few if any supporters with the big bucks. Bernie Sanders, for example. He raised $15.2 million via direct contributions. Significantly less from super PAC monies. Direct contributions represented 76 percent of the $15.2 million.

 

Ted Cruz has taken in $38 million via super PAC contributions. Glad to receive the money. However, he is right up front condemning the process. An intelligent man. He speaks effectively out of both sides of his mouth. He recently said, “Lobbyists and career politicians today make up what I call the Washington Cartel….. (They) on a daily basis are conspiring against the American people…..career politicians’ ears and wallets are open to the highest bidder.”

 

Joe Biden says that “…..where the money is, there’s almost implicitly some string attached.”

 

John Dingell, the 29 term Democratic Congressman from Michigan, recently stated, “…..our government has largely been put up for sale.”

 

John Kerry in his farewell remarks to the Senate in 2013 said, “…..alliance of money…..is steadily silencing the voice of the vast majority of Americans…..corrosion of money in politics…..muzzles more Americans than it empowers…..an imbalance that can only sow the seeds of unrest.”

 

In 2009, a year after the bank created recession, John Durbin said, “The banks…..are still the most powerful lobby on Capitol Hill…..they frankly own the place.”

 

The America we knew is gone. Do we want it back? If so, we have to work for it. Citizen United must be reversed. Only the Supreme Court can do it. Which means the next member of the Court has to be a Democrat. Get involved. Watch for whom you vote. Party affiliation should not be the guiding force in who to vote for. Make candidates keep promises made. Let them know you are watching.

 

Keep in mind that money talks, bullshit walks. Another reason Citizens United has to go.

 

It is said we have become a 1 percent / 99 percent society. Things are bad. For the people. Not the rich. Some say power still resides with the people. It has only diminished. I say under present circumstances less power is no power.

 

We are supposed to be and once were a government of the people, by the people, for the people. We have become a government of the rich, by the rich, for the rich.

 

Is this what we want?