NANCY…..NICE LADY

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Bocce party last night! The league one. An outstanding event! Good people, good drink, and good food!

The party was at Charlie Mac’s. Next door to the Green Parrot. Our team, Don’s Place, went as a group. We met first at Don’s Place and then cabbed over.

I had never been to Charlie Mac’s. About 10-15 years ago it was the Meteorite, a rib place. I infrequently went, though the ribs were outstanding. There have been three owners since, with Charlie Mac’s being the third. The place has been totally renovated. A big bar with an attractive adjoining dining room. Just the right flavor. In keeping with Key West.

The food to die for! Three whole roast pigs! Big ones. Probably should be called hogs. Barbecued ribs! Oh, so good. I am not a particular fan of cornbread. Last night, outstanding!

After dinner, I was outside chatting with some friends. I was introduced to Mitch. Turns out Mitch is one of the cooks at Charlie Mac’s. He does all the smoking. He had cooked the pigs and ribs last night.

Rob sat me down to eat with two friends of his. Turns out the two were on the winning team. They were the #1 team in the Monday night league. They were #1 in the playoffs, also. I was impressed. I was sitting with the best of the best. Later, I learned Rob was also on the winning team. Up to two years ago, he played with us. He made the big time!

I was walking away from the buffet with my plate full when I heard someone call out…..I read you! A lovely woman at a nearby table. She introduced herself and then me to her friends.

Her name was Nancy. She reads the blog and KONK Life column. As excited as she was to meet me, I was pleased to meet her. Vanity, I guess.

When I was outside after dinner, Nancy stopped by to say good night. She told me she does not agree with everything I write. However, she enjoys reading the material. I do not care whether people agree with me. I am pleased and humbled they read my written thoughts. One of my aims is that hopefully people will think about things they might not.

I liked Nancy. She obviously is a bocce player. Not a Thursday night one, or I would have known her. Hope we run into each other again. I would enjoy knowing her better.

Overall, it was an exceptional evening!

This morning’s Key West Citizen ran an article on the Burmese pythons which have overtaken the Everglades, with a danger of moving into surrounding areas. The article was referencing a recent study by some individual. I disagreed with one of his conclusions. That the pythons are a “tiny risk” to human safety.

I did a TV show on the python issue some three years ago. The pythons are not native to south Florida. However, they have overtaken the Everglades. There are many estimates as to how many now exist. Reliable numbers are somewhere between 100,000 and 150,000. The reason that there are so many is that the pythons have no natural predators in south Florida.

I believe the Burmese pythons are reason for concern. If they ever break out of the Everglades, the danger will be obvious. Not many humans live in the Everglades. Many do in the surrounding areas.

Thus far, pythons have been seen as far south as Key Largo. Three years ago, one was found beside one of the runways at the Key West Airport. No one was certain if it found its way on its own or someone dropped it off nearby.

I was home early last night. Made myself a cup of tea and went out on the dock to sit. There was a quarter moon, a slight breeze, and absolute calm. A reason for living in Key West.

Today is Ally’s birthday. Nine years old! Happy birthday, granddaughter! We celebrate tonight with dinner and a cake. Ally is big on the blowing out of the candles part. It is her night. If she is true to form, she will direct when the lights are to be turned off, where the cake is to be located on the table, and for her brother Robert to stay out of the way. Robert likes to blow out the candles with her.

Enjoy your Sunday!

BURMESE PYTHONS REVISITED

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I spent my Sunday in bed yesterday. My back problem continues. Better, but not right yet. A pain in the ass!

I filled my day from the bed with visiting the Burmese python situation again. Additionally, I watched two great basketball games. Still having time on my hands, I communicated with several friends in Italy regarding Obama’s visit.

There is nothing new to report re the Burmese python invasion. The past year has been undramatic.

Recall there are an estimated 150,000 Burmese pythons living in the Everglades. Where did they come from? Florida is not their natural habitat. It is south Asia and southern China. They most certainly did not swim here.

Hurricane Andrew is given part of the blame. A #5, it is thought the hurricane captured pet pythons and the winds dropped them off in the Everglades. From whence they mated and gave birth to the multitude.

I learned something new. The female after mating can store sperm. For years. She also can store eggs. The baby pythons are born years later.

I am aware of only two sightings in the Keys. One in Key Largo. The other in Key West. Key West’s was a seven footer. It was discovered in the grass off one of the airport’s runways. There is a question as to whether it got there by itself or someone dropped it off nearby.

Two years ago, a Miami family got up one morning to discover a 13 footer in their pool.

I learned another new thing. Burmese pythons are fresh water reptiles. The Everglades are soft water. They are not salt water beings. The keys are salt water. Ergo, the possibility of Burmese pythons reaching Key West is remote. Not impossible, however.

A year ago, the State of Florida permitted a one month legal hunt for Burmese pythons. The State figured the python population would be diminished with a western type shoot out. Permits were required. Five hundred obtained. The number of Burmese pythons caught in that one month period totaled 68.

The bottom line is nothing of any importance occurred since my last story regarding Burmese pythons a year ago.

Great basketball yesterday afternoon! Connecticut was a #7 seed. Beat Michigan State in an exciting game. Kentucky a #8 seed beat Michigan with a very long 3 point shot with 2.3 seconds to go.

Next week The Final Four! More exciting basketball!

I watched the games on TV and the internet. The internet is not a bad place to watch the games. Yes, the screen is much smaller. However, you are right there on top of each play. A constant closeup. Audio included. Try it. Free. NCAA.com.

I spoke with several acquaintances in Italy again. How did the Obama trip go? Any more news?

Contrary to what the American media is reporting, they were not impressed with Obama’s visit. They were of the opinion that Obama was there to sell them gas and planes.

Italy presently gets a significant portion of its gas from Russia. It comes through Ukraine pipe lines. Italy has been in close negotiations with Russia for some time regarding a direct pipe line from Russia to Italy. It would bypass Ukraine and run under the Black Sea. Obama wants Italy to scrap the plan.

Italians seem uncomfortable with any long term plans being entered into at this time. Their concern is they have a new President every several months. They would prefer to wait till their government is more stable before deciding anything so important.

Tomorrow night my blog talk radio show! Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine o’clock. A fast moving revealing half hour.

One of the topics will involve my opinion that the international banking system is a more deadly threat to Ukraine than Russia. The Euro Union, the United States, and the International Monetary Fund are ready to give Ukraine $17 billion plus now. Conditioned upon austerity measures being put in place immediately. As in Greece, Spain and Italy. An inevitable disaster in the making!

Enjoy your day!

HELP!

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I have a problem and can use some feed back. It involves my blog talk radio show Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Three weeks running, the audio appears to be screwed up. Some told me last night was ok the first 15 minutes and then started jumping from high to low and back to high again.

If any of you listened in, send me a comment/contact here to tell me of your experience. If you were unable to hear the show live and listen archived, let me know your experience, also. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Many thanks.

My day started with a haircut by/with Lori. She has been cutting my hair for 15 years. Whereas I have decidedly aged, Lori looks the same as she did 15 years ago. A lovely woman!

Spent some time afterwards reading the newspapers at the Plantation Coffee House. Such a relaxing place!

Dinner at Roostica. Lasagna. It has become a tuesday night pre-blog show event.

I noticed Duval was quiet yesterday. Lori’s was quiet. So too was Roostica. I asked Patty where the people were. She said this was an expected slow week.

It was not slow on the roadways with the bikers! This you will not believe. I was driving up one of the one way streets toward Duval. Came to an intersection. I had the right of way. Cross traffic had stop signs.

About 20-25 bicyclers were on the side street. I kid you not. That many! They ran the stop sign and made a left turn into my street. They were riding against me. Fortunately, I was able to stop as they rode by me on both sides of the car. Laughing, of course. Enjoying themselves.

Idiots! Said respectfully. I love  tourists!

Burmese pythons are in the news again. A true Florida problem. Especially in the Everglades. A bit in the Keys. The actual number is unknown. Quite high, however. The experts say there are so many that it is impossible to eradicate them. They eat people. Last year, one slid into a house and baby crib and devoured the baby.

A Miami Herald article said that in addition to the Burmese python, there are eight other invasive constrictor species. The article suggested something has to be done. The experts have not been able to come up with a solution. A present questionable solution involves banning their importation into Florida. A drop of water in the ocean, a grain of sand on a beach.

I question the judgment of some activist groups. In this instance, an animal rights group.

We all know Lolita. Many of us have seen her perform. Lolita is the giant whale at the Sea Acquarium in Miami. She has been there for 43 years. An animal rights group wants her freed into the ocean, returned to her natural habitat. After 43 years of being cared for like a baby, I question how long she would survive. Sometimes people carry their “good desires” too far.

Enjoy your day!