ML PARTY AT THE GALLEON

I finally made an ML fundraiser. ML is running for Fantasy Queen. The winner is determined by who raises the most money for AIDS Help. There are several candidates and big money involved.

ML’s party was at the Galleon outside bar. The place was packed!

I got to see JJ. My old friend from the Chart Room. He is now bartending at the Galleon.

Howard Livingston and wife Cindy were in attendance. Howard was performing. Howard and I have been friends for 16 years since first we met at the bar at Mangoes when we both were involved with house remodeling and construction. A nicer person does not exist!

Relatively new found friend Susie was busy working. She is one of ML’s co-chairs. Susie bought and brought a number of my books. The World Upside Down was an auction item. I did some book signing before they were put out.

Met Fiona and her brother Johnny. Fiona was a law office administrator for 20 plus years somewhere on the Jersey Shore. She has retired to Key West. Has an apartment somewhere off Duval behind the Grand. Her brother Johnny is from Chicago. Spends some of his Key West days working at Home Depot.

Key West publisher Guy deBoer and I chatted a while. I like Guy. He works hard. It is the only way.

Guy publishes KONK Life where my weekly newspaper column appears. More importantly, Guy and ML are a couple. For several years.

Met a lot of nice people. Unfortunately and apologetically, I cannot remember all their names.

Though it is obvious, I want everyone to be aware. ML is my choice for Fantasy Fest Queen.

My day started with the x-ray I was supposed to have had wednesday. Purpose to determine if I have any disk impingement which is causing my sciatica type pain.

Then to Don’s Place. I had a meeting. Great atmosphere in which to conduct business. My desk is the Truman corner of the bar. Hemingway had his Sloppy Joe’s. I have Don’s Place.

I spent the afternoon working on tuesday evening’s blog talk radio show. Preparation is everything. I came across an interesting item involving bigotry. The New York Times’ David Brooks commented on the topic recently.

First, Louis’s recollection. There was a time in the 1950s and 1960s, and probably before, when Jews and Gentiles rarely married. A religious thing. Primarily from the Jewish side. A parental no no. I had a law school Catholic friend who married a Jewish lady. They were head over heels in love. The marriage lasted three years. The family pressures were too much.

Now comes Brooks’ item. It involves political bigotry. He wrote that in 1960,  5 percent of Republicans and 4 percent of Democrats said they would be “…..displeased if their children married someone of the opposite party…..By 2010…..numbers had jumped to 49 percent and 33 percent.” No wonder the two parties cannot get along! The dislike/hatred runs deep!  So much for the enlightened era we live in.

I had some time to kill before the ML party. I stopped into the Island Dogs Bar for a drink. First time in several years. A cute place on Front Street. The building sits next to the Pier House parking lot. The Bar is primarily frequented by tourists.

Colorful! Pleasant! I sat and watched happy tourists come and go. The Islands Dog Bar provides them with a a perfect space.

Island Dogs Bar is owned by world famous Jim Croce and Dave Thibault. Dave is Michael and Nancy’s son in law. He has made a huge success of the Island Dogs Bar. They are very proud of him.

I like Michael. In another time, we played golf together He bartends for Don. Nancy was Don’s business manager for years. She is now involved in the Fausto operation.

I like Michael. Love Nancy.

Tonight, Syracuse/Notre Dame at the Meadowlands. Syracuse will lose. Unfortunately. However, that is the way it is. I plan on watching the game at Don’s Place.

I am into my last two days of steroids. What happens when I go off?

Enjoy your day!

 

VIETNAM AND IRAQ

The major similarity between Vietnam and Iraq is that we were misled into each war. President Johnson with regard to Vietnam and Bush 2 with regard to Iraq.

We all know the Iraq lies. Some may not be aware of the Vietnam ones. Johnson wanted to expand the Vietnam war. He wanted to be viewed in the same light as Roosevelt and World War II. He misinformed the American people. He claimed that on August 2 and 4 1964, North Vietnamese ships shot at American vessels.

The August 2 engagement was not as described, although something did happen. The more serious event was August 4. The problem was it never happened.

Two Presidents, two lies, two long term conflicts.

What I find sad, besides a President lying, is that in both instances the Congress voted almost unanimously in providing the Congressional authority to proceed. Does anyone seek truth in the halls of government?

Obama has sent planes this past week to bomb certain areas of Iraq. Congress is not involved in the process as yet. I am not passing judgment on what Obama has done. I do not know enough at this time. There does however appear to be humanitarian interests to support his intercession.

Vian Dakhil is a member of the Iraqi Parliament. She spoke to the problem two days ago before her Parliament.

“For the past 48 hours, 30,000 families have been besieged on Mount Sinjar, without food or water. They are dying. Seventy children have died so far of thirst and suffocation. Fifty elderly people have died because of the deteriorating conditions. Our women are being taken captive and sold on the slave market.”

My yesterday started with a quick visit to the dentist, Dr. Linder. An implant required adjusting.

I spent several hours writing my KONK Life column which will be published this week. It concerns an issue I briefly wrote about several days ago here and spoke of at length on my blog talk radio show tuesday night. The column is one of the most revealing I have written. Be sure to read it. An eye opener!

The title of the article is Abortion, Sterilization, Contraception, Female Discrimination…..Tools For Population Control.

Tavern ‘n Town last night. A delicious prime rib. Chatted with manager Judy. Ran into Jenna and her Boston intern. They were attending a 40th birthday party for Ruben Gabriel Navarro, the singer. Ruben came over and joined the conversation. He invited me to join the party. I begged off. It was time to go home.

Mike Emerson provided the entertainment. It was a big night for him. His grandkids are visiting and watched him perform.

Met Susie yesterday. Susie Puskedra. Susie does estate sales. Short for she cleans your house out by selling everything. A good person to know. Her business name is Susie’s Key West Estate Sales.

Yesterday’s Wall Street Journal carried an interesting piece of information. The article represented that doctors misdiagnose 5 percent of patients a year. Does not sound like much in and of itself. However, the 5 percent amounts to 12 million persons a year. That is a problem!

Enjoy your day!