CONCH REPUBLIC ANNEXES USA

 

Marty (the other one) is a loyal blog reader. He emailed a suggestion apparently motivated by the government shutdown and American life in general.

Words of wisdom.

Marty suggested the Conch Republic annex the United States. His reasons were simple. Leadership would be easier. People’s attitudes lighter. Americans would start enjoying life for a change.

Right on my friend!

The vote has been tabulated. The people heard. The ballot question yesterday as to whether Key West participate in a free study to determine the feasibility of dredging the channel to accommodate larger mega cruise ships went down to defeat. Significantly! By 3-1. 74 per cent of the people voted against it.

Hooray for democracy!

There is a lady named Anna who once a week comes by. She cleans the house and washes and irons. For the past eight years. Anna is not responsible for the outside. A task in and of itself. I either hire some one to do it or do it myself.

Yesterday morning, I felt energized. I was in a work mood. I did a bit of clean up of the deck.

Palm trees can be a pain. Fallen coconuts and palm branches. Took care of them. The deck at one end was covered with what looked like berries. I do not know what they really were. Living on the ocean, you never know what is going to be blown in. I swept up the berries. I finished by hosing the deck and furniture.

An ambitious undertaking for Louis!

I was still full of energy. Sex would have been good. Decided to walk. Drove to Duval Square and parked the car. Walked towards the Atlantic Ocean. Past La Te Da. Down to the Southernmost Complex. Through the Southernmost grounds. Across the street onto the Reach’s grounds. Through them. Then did the return trip the same way.

Took all of 25 minutes. Felt like an hour or more. The humidity was heavy! Very heavy! My tee shirt soaking wet. I did not think I was going to make it back to the car.

Stopped at Publix on the way home. Needed bananas and strawberries. They are staples to me.

Spent the afternoon fine tuning last night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

Made a sandwich for dinner.

Afterwards, went upstairs to lie on the bed and watch Chris Matthews. It was 7 o’clock. I fell asleep. I woke at five minutes to 9. The radio show begins at 9. I ran downstairs, turned on the computer and did all the things necessary to get on air. As I connected, I heard…..Your show goes live in 10 seconds.

A close call.

It was an easy show to do. What with the governmental shutdown and governmental waste. I threw a little Greece in and the half hour was over.

I have stayed in the past few nights.  I have to get out tonight. I will get out tonight.

Enjoy your day!

PAN AM WORLD AIRWAYS

I was up and at ’em early yesterday. Did my blog promptly. Then walked.

It was a big time walk. From Duval Square to Mallory Square and back. Criss crossed some of the side streets. The humidity was heavy. Too heavy. I had to take a break three times. Each time found a business with air conditioning with a place for me to sit for a few minutes.

Spent the afternoon researching and writing. Spent the evening working on friday’s internet show. I have two glass sliding doors in my kitchen. Open onto the deck and pool. The ocean about 50 feet away. There is a counter next to the sliding doors. It is where I work when I work inside.

Last night was exceptionally pleasant to work from the counter. The humidity was gone. There was a breeze coming in off the water.

I was researching a small South American air line that got started in 1920. I found it. But I found something even more important. A part of Key west history.

Pan Am World Airways. Commonly known as Pan Am.

Pan Am became one of the world’s largest international carriers. Then hard times hit. It filed for bankruptcy in 1991.

Pan Am was born in 1927 in Key West. Its first headquarters.

There was sentiment at the time that the United States needed a central American airline. To protect its economic Panama Canal interests. Ergo, Pan Am got started. The new airline provioded air mail and passenger service Key West to Havana, Cuba. The United States government provided the air mail contract thereby making the dream possible.

A problem developed. Pan Am had no aircraft landing rights in Cuba. It was obvious some heavy hitters were required to convice Cuba to grant the landing rights.

Threee of the primary founders of Pan Am were Majors at the time in the United States Army Air Force. Majors Hap Arnold, Carl Spaatz, and John Jouett. Arnold and Spaatz went on to become two of the most important U.S. generals of World War II.

Money and influence were required. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney and Averell Harriman were the backers. Harriman went on to become an important part of the administrations of several U.S. Presidents. He also served as Governor of New York.

The aforementioned individuals worked out the Cuban landing problem.

The new airline required a headquaters. In Key West. It was located in a white two story building on a corner on Whitehead Street. That building today is the home of the famous Kelly’s Restaurant.

Pan Am began business with one airlplane. An eight seater.

Some 25 odd years ago, Kelly Mc Gillis and Fred Tilman, then married, opened Kelly’s Restaurant in the former Pan Am headquarters. The restaurant is still there today doing a flourishing business.

Kelly Mc Gillis was of movie fame. Movies like Top gun, Witness, and The Accused.

I knew Kelly and Fred back when. Primarily from social gatherings. After Kelly and Fred divorced, Fred kept the restaurant. He also became my neighbior in Key Haven. Lisa and Fred are friends. Fred catered Lisa’s wedding. Did a great job!

That other airline I was searching for turned out to be a German airline out of Columbia which started in 1920. The German airline and the Panama Canal were the influences which gave birth to Pan Am.

Such is the story of Pan Am and Key West. Interesting.

Enjoy your day!