HONEYMOON OVER…..TV / INTERNET SHOW NO MORE

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All good things come to an end. Fortunately and unfortunately. My Friday morning TV/internet show The Key West Lou Legal Hour will no longer be aired.

I started with KONK six years ago doing an internet show. Two years ago moved over to WEYW television which joined television and the internet together for me. The reception has been fantastic! People in many countries watched the show.

I will still be doing my blog talk radio show tuesday evenings, writing my once a week column for KONK Life, and writing my daily blog.

The television show was fun to do. Hard work, also. It took 10-12 hours a week to prepare for the show. Hard to believe. My plate was becoming full. Publishing my first book recently made me anxious to do another. I was working as hard as I did when I was practicing law. Something had to give.

The bottom line is there will be a new book out sooner than I thought. I am restructuring my day so as to work on it at least 3 hours a day.

This week’s KONK Life is on the stands today. You must read it. I am the cover. Me all alone. The cover page in effect announces my new book. I thank KONK’s owner Guy de Boer for providing the opportunity to further publicize The World Upside Down.

Terri White is back in the news! It was announced yesterday that Terri has received the New York Cabaret Award for 2013. The award is for The Best One-Show Special Event of 2013. It was for Terri’s performance at 54 Below, Broadway’s premier supper club. Good girl, Terri! Go!

Interestingly, Terri was blackballed on Broadway in the early 1980s when it was discovered she was gay. Now she receives awards. As the world turns.

I had a good time last night. Don and I went out together. To the Chart Room. Stayed a long time. Chatted with Emily, Peter, Sean, and Sheila. Don is good company to be out on the town with. I was the designated driver, of course.

Enjoy your day!

NORTH and SOUTH

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I enjoyed an unusual Saturday yesterday. I watched television most of the day. Not planned. That is how it worked out.

I was a history major in college. I had a special interest in the Civil War. I took extra courses involving the Civil War.

At noon yesterday, an old mini series appeared on TV. All six segments at one time. From noon till eight in the evening. Concerning matters which lead up to the Civil War. The series was appropriately called North and South.

I watched it all! I was in all my glory! As a result, I never went out.

The only interruption was when Lisa showed up with Robert and Ally to swim. I said hello, how are you and kissed each one. Then it was back to the television set.

While watching, I enjoyed a sandwich and a couple of drinks.

There are things happening that I would like to make comment regarding.

Toilet paper. Back in May, in this blog and on my TV show, I made mention of the acute toilet paper shortage in Venezuela. People were without! Still are! What could be worse?

Venezuela has a large toilet paper making factory. The government took it over this week. Nationalized it, in effect. Shades of Hugo Chavez. Actually, things were good for the people of Venezuela under Chavez. We may have disliked him. His people did not. He took care of everyone.

Syracuse football. Syracuse beat Tulane yesterday 52-17. Big! Syracuse has a new quarterback the last two games. It is said he is the difference. Plus, the defense has been playing unusually well. My recollection is Syracuse blocked four kicks yesterday. Three punts and a field goal attempt.

The proof of the pudding comes in two weeks. Clemson! A top team.

A tropical storm beat the hell out of Acapulco this week. Tropical storm Manuel. 100,000 tourists in Acapulco at the time. The airport is a mess and not in use. A military one is ok, however. Roads are wiped out. Mud slides everywhere.

I have visited Acapulco several times. Not the place to be when a disaster occurs. I was there when a minor one occurred. 40,000 tourists are still stranded. All waiting to be airlifted out by the military. Things will be tough until they get on a plane.

Germany’s national election is today. Merkel is favored to be returned as Germany’s leader. A shame. Europe teeters while Merkel continues to play her hard assed economic game.

Terri White. My friend, my love.

Robin Williams has a new television show. It starts this week or next. In the third show, Terri White will be guest appearing. A big deal! Watch for the show. I look forward to the day when Terri gets her own TV show.

Enjoy your Sunday!

SCHINOUSSA ISLAND

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I had a terrific breakfast this morning!

You will recall Maria and Nikolas have a garden. They sell vegetables to Amorgos’ restaurants. Maria was especially proud of their tomatoes.

Last night when I returned from Schinoussa Island, Nikolas drove up. He handed me a bag of tomatoes. Twelve plump beauties. I refrigerated them till this morning.

Tomatoes are actually part of the fruit family. So why not have them for breakfast! I sliced away, covered them with olive oil, threw on a little oreganato and salt. Earlier, I had gone to the bakery. I bought a small French loaf of whole wheat bread.

The sun had just come up. I sat outside and enjoyed my breakfast. Absolutely magnificent! The best tasting tomatoes I have ever eaten!

The tomatoes have nothiong to do with Schinoussa Island. They were so good I had to share my pleasure with you.

As sometimes we say in Key West…..I have to get off the rock, I felt like getting off Amorgos yesterday. Decided to visit Schinoussa Island.

The Greek Isles are like the Florida Keysandr the Thousand islands on the St. Lawrence. Many. All sizes, all shapes. Different attractions. You get to them by ferry boat. The ferry boat is the bus line between the smaller islands. I took the 7 a.m. ferry.

A two hour trip. Had to stop Koutonisti Island first. A pleasant trip. I slept most of the way.

Why Schinoussa? The locals are aware I enjoy Amorgos because of its peace and quiet. They told me if I really wanted peace and quiet, I should visit Schinoussa. I took their advice.

Schinoussa’s port was nowhere. I was dropped off where nothing existed. Only three small houses scattered in the distance. A dirt road. I subsequently found out most of the roads are unpaved.

A little more Schinoussa fact wise.

Schinoussa has a total population estimated beytween 120-150 persons. Its size is 2 miles x 2 miles. Much like the size of Key West. It has two cities. Chora, its capital and I cannot remember the name of the other. The other was on the opposite side of the island and had a population of 20. Many beaches. Sand fine, but gray colored. Water magnificent. Blue and clear.

Goats abound. White and black/gray. Another dart in my albino theory! A total of six pensiones on the whole island.

Very few vehicles. Transportation is by pedmobile. You walk. The alternative is to ride a donkey. Many of the natives do. There are few motor vehicles. Generally, they are pick up trucks.

The ferry boat cost 16 euros round trip. $17 American money. That had me sitting in the special lounge class. A comfortable easy chair. Refreshments available for purchase.

I landed. I was standing on Mother Earth. How the hell was I going to get around? By the way, I was the only one who got off the boat at Schinoussa.

A beat up pick up truick appeared out of nowhere. A man offered me a ride. He spoke excellent English. Turned out he owned one of the six pensiones on the island. His game was to pick up a tourist such as myself and show him his place. Grispos Villas.

Grispos Villas was lovely! Relatively new, great rooms and balconies overlooking the Aegean Sea. A magnificednt beach. A restaurant to boot. There are only four on the island.

The beaches were different from others I have recently seen. There were trees. Amorgos has no trees. Only large bushes and not many of them. Schinoussa was loaded with trees. The beaches reminded me of the ones in Tampa/St. Petersburg. A wide beach backed by trees. The trees were low overhanging and provided excellent shelter from the sun.

Grispos was the name of the man who picked me up at the port, the owner of Grispos Villas. He wanted to drive me around the island. I said no, let me walk. It was impossible to get lost. The island was relatively flat.

I was walking along a dirt road running parallel to the beach when another pick up truck came by and stopped. This one was really old. Like maybe 30 years. The driver was equally old. I should not say that as I am 78. He probably was younger. However his years in the sun had weathered, bronzed and wrinkled his face. As well as his vehicle.

His name was Dion.

He offered me a ride. I took it. By this time, I was tired from the sun and dusty. Remember, most of the roads are dirt.

Dion worked the land and kept goasts and mules. He had both colored goats. One of the whites was big. Not an albino, of course.

He took me to Chora. Chora is the island’s capital.

Every Greek isle has a Chora. It is the old town. The oldest on an island. Generally going back 1,500 years. Not this Chora. Looked relatively new compared to the others I had seen. It was.

This Chora was only one street long. It was constructed after 1800. Prior to 1800, no one lived on Schinoussa. For some reason I could not determine, a small group settled the island at that time. They came from Amorgos. Would you believe! No 1,500 years for this Chora. Probably less than 200 years.

I took the ferry back later in the afternoon. Arrived in Amorgos at six.

Schinoussa was quiet and peaceful. More quiet than Amorgos. Next year, I plan on spending a week on Schinoussa. Most of the time will be spent contemplating my navel.

A big military vessel came in last night. A Greek Navy ship. It is sitting just inside the entrance to the bay.

I am not a ship expert. Especially a military one. The ship had to be bigger than a cruiser or destroyer. Not as large as a carrier.

Very ominous. Created a bit of fear in me. I could understand how when we have trouble with a foreign country, we send a carrier to sit off its shore. Has to scare the hell out of those who see it!

Amorgos was loaded with sailors last night. All in deress whites.

My friend Terri White. She returns to New York City for an engagement on July 31. From a park bench to Park Ave.

Terri will be appearing at the 54 Below Broadway Night Club. If you are in New York at the time, watch Terri perform. She is the best!

Tonight, dinner in Chora. I am going to visit Maria at her store before.

Enjoy your day!

HAPPY PASSOVER!

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Happy Passover one and all!

This evening my Jewish friends sit down to a special meal. One that recalls the suffering of their people. An interesting evening. A special one. Clothe in warmth and tradition.

I have been favored over the years with having been invited to many Passover seters. The correct word. However, I am not sure I spelled it correctly. If not, my apologies.

Donna and Terri are back in Key West. For Passover. Donna is a tough Jewish Mom. She requires all her children to be with her for Passover. Donna has flown in from Los Angeles. A daughter lives here in Key West. Her three sons Boston, Detroit and I am not sure where else. Tonight Passover will be celebrated at the daughter’s home in Key West.

Jake continues to be the center of attention. He has only been with Lisa and family about two weeks. They are inseparable. Jake is fortunate. He has found a good and loving home. In return he expresses his love for all the family. Me, too. Sometimes.

There seems to be a story a day with Jake. Jake is tiny. From the top of his head to his paws no more than 18 inches. He weighs just under 10 pounds. He fears not! Especially big dogs!

He is very territorial. If a dog walks by, he is at the door on hind legs barking like crazy. Regardless of the dog’s size. The neighbors across the street have two tinier dogs. They bark all the time. Jake does not seem to like them. He returns the barking.

Frankie the Plumber and Lisa are neighbors. Their backyards abutt. All that separates the two yards is a chain link fence.

Frankie has a monstrous dog. Big enough for my grandkids to ride!

Frankie’s dog and Jake are best of friends. No barking. They get up to the fence and rub noses. If one walks one way, the other follows. I find it amazing that Jake does not consider Frankie’s pet a danger or intruder.

I made a mistake yesterday afternoon. Late in the afternoon. I was on my way to Lisa’s for Sunday dinner. I ran into the traffic leaving Boca Chica. Took forever to reach Key West.

After dinner, I stopped at the Chart Room. Sheila was there. It appeared she was waiting for me. She handed me a bag of tomatoes. Sheila has a green thumb. She raises vegetables on her third floor terrace. I look forward to enjoying the tomatoes.

JJ bartending. He introduced me to Andras. In all the time I have been in Key west, this was the first we met.

Andras is around 50. Originally from Argentina, he has lived in Key West many years. He presently waits tables at Antonia’s and Rooftop. He has to be an excellent waiter. Both are top shelf establishments.

At one time, JJ and Andras were roommates. Andras introduced JJ to his now wife.

Key Westers are known as one human family. I break it down further to one family.

Men and women share apartments, condos, homes. Rent is high. Sharing a necessity. The men and women live as brother and sister. Sex  not involved. A very common Key West arrangement.

Mary bartends the Chart Room monday evenings. She has a roommate. You guessed it! Andras! A small world.

JJ told me the Chart Room will be 45 years old June 15. The Pier House is planning a party. A big one! Sounds like a fun time ahead.

I watched the Indiana/Temple game yesterday. The winner is scheduled to meet Syracuse later this week in the Sweet Sixteen. Temple beat Syracuse earlier this season when Syracuse was ranked #3 nationally. A good team.

An excellent game! Temple almost won. They lost the in the last two minutes. The score was 58-52. So it is Indiana for Syracuse in a few days.

Indiana is a #1 seed. Syracuse a #4. It should be an interesting game.

I make no predictions. I thought we would have been out of the tournament by now. It has been a topsy turvy Syracuse year.

What pisses me off are the media commentaries through the weekend and this morning. Every team gets talked about. But Syracuse. It is as if Syracuse does not exist. It is assumed Indiana will beat Syracuse, I suspect.

It is always this way with media reporting and Syracuse. We are the long lost brother and no one seems to care.

I hope Syracuse surprises every one! Beware of sleeping dogs!

Every one I have run into this weekend that had an opportunity to meet the Robinsons were impressed. All saw them as down to earth warm hearted people. All mentioned that the Robinsons appeared to be taken with Key West. Some suspected they might buy here.

For an island that was home to Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, John Hershey, and other notable writers of all type works, the Robinsons would be a welcome addition.

I spent a bit of yesterday working on tuesday night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou. Join me at 9 for what should be an interesting time. One of the topics will be Cyprus and banks. The banks in this instance best described as whores. Interesting chatter awaits. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Long winded today. Sorry. I had much to share.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

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Happy  Thanksgiving!

This morning the turkeys are in the oven, pies cooling, the children watching the Macy Thanksgiving Parade, families getting together. A good day! A thank you God day.

A quick  history of Thanksgiving.

The gathering of Pilgrims and Indians in 1621 is considered the first Thanksgiving. It was not. It was called a “gathering.”

There were no more thanksgivings/gatherings till 1776. George Washington called for a day of thanksgiving. The first time the word was actually used. The Revolution was in full swing. The colonies had separated from Great Britain.

The day was enjoyed. Washington wanted to continue it every year. The politicians of the day said no. Even Thomas Jefferson. It had to do with Pilgrims, Puritans, and satanic beliefs. A hot potato.

There was not another thanksgiving till 1864. Abraham Lincoln was happy with the way the Civil war was going. He had a new general by the name of Ulysses Grant who had won several battles, The Emancipation Proclamation was law. Lincoln decreed the fourth thursday of November was hence forth to be celebrated as a day of thanksgiving.

It so continued till 1941. It became a legal holiday at that time. Thanks to Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

That’s the story.

Lunch yesterday was at Goldman’s Deli with Robert and Ally. Business appeared to be half of what it normally was. I attribute it to the competition of the nearby new Five Guys and the boulevard construction.

The grandkids and I talked about Thanksgiving and Christmas. Had Santa Claus telephoned me yet this year? No, not yet. He’s busy. Soon, however.

Oh, how they believe!

Before going out last night, I had to deliver the turkey from my refrigerator to Lisa. It was heavy! Robert and Ally were excitedly waiting for me. They took the turkey from me to carry inside.

My evening out was Don’s Place. A good  crowd. Including Don, David, Herschel, Stan, Erika, Toni, Bebe, Rob, and others. The holiday spirit was in the air.

I read an article this morning that the second biggest drinking night in the U.S. is Thanksgiving Eve. The first of course is New Year’s Eve.

I stopped at Publix for a few things on the way home. The new one. The place was crowded. I was surprised. Apparently most people had waited till the last minute to shop.

Two Thanksgiving dinners for me today! With Lisa and family at 1. With friends at 6. A heavy day!

Donna emailed me yesterday. She forwarded a You Tube video of Terri made in Dusseldorf,  Germany. Terri recently appeared with the Symphony there.

The video is less than six minutes. Well done. I recommend you take a look at it.

www.youtube.com/watch?=BJsTyKKxu8o&sns=em.

Tomorrow is friday. Friday is The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Please watch. Ten o’clock in the morning my time. Available on TV throughout the Keys and Miami-Dade County. Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. Available world wide via internet. www.tvchannel19.com.

You will enjoy!

Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday, also!

 

CAPTAIN TONY AND MARVIN HAMLISCH IN THE SAME BREATH

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I was correct. I have pink eye. Dr. Lefferts confirmed it yesterday morning.

Prescribed drops. She had her office call the prescription into Walgreens to be ready for pick up at noon. I received a recorded message around 11 that it would not be timely ready and they would call to tell me when.

It was six in the evening. No call from Walgreens yet. My eye was no better. Perhaps worse. I drove to Walgreens to see if the prescription was ready. It was not. I was told the drops were rarely used and they did not stock it. The clerk told me he did not know when the prescription would be filled.

I got upset. My problem is today I told him.

I asked to speak to the pharmacist. He tried to be helpful. Said he would call around to other drug stores to see if they had it. I played that game once. A pain in the ass! And not successful.

In the end, the pharmacist screwed around on his computer a while and told me the prescription would be available tomorrow (today) at one.

Not the way to run a business! Especially one that makes Walgreens a ton of money daily.

I spent some time at the Chart Room last night chatting.

Michael bartends at Smokin’ Tuna. He recently turned 40. He was enjoying a bus man’s holiday at the Chart Room.

A few days ago Michael was watching the sunset somewhere at Mallory Square. He saw two people a distance out in the water. They were in the water waving their arms. Obviously in distress. Michael dove in and swam out to them.

It was good that he did.

One of the persons in the water had scrapped his thigh against something. It had to be a hard blow. He had ruprured his artery. Blood was flowing out rapidly.

Michael got the person to shore. He ripped a branch of a tree, took off his tee shirt and wrapped both tightly around the guy’s thigh. Soon the Coast Guard arrived and the injured person was helicoptered to Miami.

Michael does not know who the person was that he saved. The injured person does not know it was Michael. Perhaps they will learn of each other through this blog.

Michael…..A genuine hero!

JJ was bartending. Leslie at the bar aslo.

Captain Tony Days start today and run through Sunday.

Captain Tony can best be described as a son of Key West.

His biggest claim to fame was Catain Tony’s Bar on Greene Street. He ran it for almost 30 years. In addition to being a bar keep, Captain Tony was a charter boat captain, gun runner, gambler, politician and at one time Mayor of Key West. Along the way, he married four times and fathered thirteen children.

Captain Tony ran for Mayor four times before being elected. One of his unsuccessful campaigns was headed up by Jimmy Buffett. Buffet and Captain Tony were obviously close. Buffett wrote a song about Captain Tony. Last Mango in Paris. The opening lines of the song…..I went down to Captain Tony’s / To get out of the heat / Heard a voice call out to me / Son come have a seat.

The girls leave today. Donna and Terri are packed and ready to go. Their ultimate destination is Los Angeles. They are moving there permanently. They came to Key West to get their furniture out of storage. The next stop is New York to get their furniture out of the apartment there. Then onward to Los Angeles.

They rented a huge Budget truck. They are driving the furniture from Kest West to New York and then Los Angeles themselves. Their car hooked on the back.

Crazy! I wish them good luck. They will make it. I told them this morning to record the events of each day. The trip has the makings of a good book.

Marvin Hamlisch died yesterday. I feel the loss of a contemporary. The world, including me, enjoyed his music all our lives.

I was aware Terri knew and was a personal friend of Hamlisch. When I read the news of his death on the internet, I telephoned Donna. She and Terri were at Aqua. Terri was judging a singing contest.

Terri took the loss hard. She got up on the stage and sang one of his songs. What I Did For Love from Chorus Line. With tears running down her face.

May he rest in peace.

That was my yesterday.

Enjoy your today!

YACHT CLUB BARBECUE

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The humidity envelops. Swallows a person. Thank God for air conditioning.

Yesterday was Sunday.

I started with an early morning breakfast at Pepe’s. Never ate breakfast there before. Dinner, yes.

Ham and eggs. Delicious. Especially the ham. A ham steak. About a quarter of an inch thick and huge.

It is claimed that Pepe’s is the oldest restaurant in Key West. Key West was the home port of pirates back around the 1700s. The story is that the pirates would meet at Pepe’s to plan their raids.

Then home to work with Sloan. There are too many pictures of my trip. Six hunded. Trying to narrow the number and organize them by location and event is a task. A tedious process. It is taking a lot of time. I want it correct, however.

Spent some time by the pool in the sun. Actually in the pool. The humidity was overbearing. I probably stayed out all of a half hour. I could not take it.

Lisa came over. To escape the humidity. To swim. She chatted a while in the shade of the tiki hut with Donna and Terri.

Last night was barbecuse night at the Yacht Club. Donna, Terri, and me.

We had a couple of drinks at the bar first. Kate Miano came in. Love her! She is the proprietor of the successful Gardens Hotel. Always has a hug and kiss for me. For every one actually. I like to think it is for me only.

Tosh was at the bar. At least two years since I had seen him. He has been away.

Tosh is short for Jon McIntosh. He is an artist of significant stature.

The barbecue was excellent. Especially the beef brisket.

I returned home after dinner. The girls went out. They were heading for the Monkey Bar first. Wherever they were, they must have had a great time. I woke when they came in at four this morning. Theatre people have strange hours.

Enjoy your day!

ALMOST GOT A TICKET

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Hogfish for lunch yesterday. A Cuban sandwich. Good! First time I had one there. Read the newspapers.

There were very few people. I could not understand why. Then it hit me. Owner Billy Mangello opened a pizza parlor this week three blocks away on Stock Island. Everyone had to be there. The waitress agreed with me.

As I was turning onto MacDonald Road, I improperly cut around a tourist bus. I did wrong. Within seconds I heard the siren. A motorcycle officer pulled me over.

I immediately said…..I know I am wrong…..I got tired of waiting for the bus to move.

The officer and I chatted a bit. I reiterated once more I was wrong.

He was a gentleman. Gave me a warning. Told me he saved me $260 and 3 points. He told me I was wrong, but that the bus driver was slow to move. That he was in training to be a bus driver.

I lucked out.

Robert and Ally were in the pool when I returned home. With Corey’s father, Curtis. Grandmother Karen was sitting nearby. They are visitng for a couple of days.

Needed a pedicure. The last time I had one was on Mykonos. The day I got hit by the car.

I enjoy Tammy’s company. Nothing gets by her. She knew Jenna and I had been out together Saturday night. Jenna is her customer, also.

Worked on Friday’s internet show. The key West Lou Legal Hour. 10 am my time worldwide. www.konkbroadcasting.com.

Some interesting topics. Like the woman who tried to break into jail, babysitters averaging more than twice the minimum wage, a reason not to hide cash in the oven, woman who got butt injection with cement died / the person giving the injection charged with manslaughter, and You Tube nailing a speeder.

Plus, a run away camel on a Dubai highway, gay voters a significant block, the recent Greek election and media reports, the Postal crisis, a person pursued by police hides in a septic tank, Brazilian court orders Chevron to stop drilling or face a fine of $244 million a day, Columbus leaving Spain’s Paloa for the Indies, the first day ever opening of the Saratoga race track, and more.

A good show in the making.

Sloan visited me in the evening. We worked on the 600 pictures of my trip. We have them down to 100 for the proposed epilogue.

I thought I was done with the dentist last week. After 1.5 years. I was wrong. I am not. Have pain. Big pain. I have a 9:30 appoinment this morning for another adjustment.

Enjoy your day!

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES

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What a difference a day makes.

Yesterday morning the TV news, TV talk shows, and internet news were bombarding us with a $5.5 billion default by the U.S. Postal Agency within 24 hours. This morning nothing. Not on TV. Only a brief back page article on the internet.

The Post Office is still going to default. At midnight tonight. The government does not seem concerned. The default will not affect the day to day operations of the Post Office. Congress goes into recess Friday for the month of August. Congress takes the position that the problem can await resolution till it returns in September.

A disgrace! An example of Congressional irresponsibility! First in passing the 2006 law that primarily created this postal crisis. Second, in failing to timely correct the problem.

Whatever happened to pride. This is an agency of the United States government. There should be no waiting. The problem should be resolved now instead of four weeks plus from now. The Washington genius’ know what they are going to do. They should do it now and avoid embarassing the government.

I am beginning to think that not paying bills on time is no longer considered an item of shame. If the U.S. governemnt can do it, why not the people. The economy would really fail if everyone payed their bills one month late.

I walked yesterday morning. In the blistering humidity. My tee shirt soaking wet when I finished.

Then to the Plantation Coffee House. No coffee. A bottle of cold water. Diane working. I also had one of her blueberry muffins. She bakes them herself. Delicious.

I was getting ready to leave the house last night for the Chart Room when Dotti called. She has recently returned from Mexico.

Meet me at the Commodore and I will buy you dinner, she said. OK by me. Rarely does anyone purchase my dinner. Especially a beautiful lady.

I met Dotti at the Commodore a half hour later. We drank, ate and laughed. Dotti is an old friend from Key West who married and ran off to Mexico to live several years ago.

It has been at least four years since I dined at the Commodore. The food was terrific! Better than I remembered it. I enjoyed a delicious prime rib. I plan on returning soon.

I rarely get to the end of Front street where the Commodore is located. It is only two blocks from the Chart Room, but out of the way. Front Street dead ends at the Commodore.

There has been much talk of late of the Boathouse. Everyone has told me it is near the Commodore. The Boathouse has become a new and exciting place to drink and eat. I had never been there nor seen it.

Turns out the Boathouse is directly under the Commodore. Boathouse first floor, Commodore second floor.

What a lovely place! Made for the oceanfront. It sits on the ocean. Open aired. The place was packed. Looked like fun. I must try it soon.

Donna and Terri have been here since late afternoon Sunday. I rarely see them. Our bodies operate on different time schedules. I have seen Terri for a total of 30 seconds. Donna 5 minutes. Show biz people!

Two major figures passed on in the past 48 hours. Tony Martin and Gore Vidal.

Tony Martin was 98. A popular singer in the 1940s and 1950s. Married to two different Hollywood stars. First the singer Alice Faye. Then the dancer Cyd Charisse.

I remember and enjoyed Martin’s movies. All good time happy ending ones.

Gore Vidal was 86. A novelist, playwrite, and political commentator. He was often described as a political troublemaker. He called them as he saw them! He was a non conformist and controversial. More of his irritating type are needed in today’s world.

May they both rest in peace.

Enjoy your day!

SCREWED AGAIN!

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Bend over folks. It is happening again. The American people are being screwed.

I apologize for the descriptive words used. However, I want there to be no doubt about what is about to be reported.

TV, the radio and newspapers will be redundant today with the announcement of the possible failure of the U.S. Post Office. The Post Office has a $5.5 billion payment due wednesday and a $5.6 billion payment due in September. It will not be able to meet either. Unless of course there is a Congressional bailout.

How did this crisis come about?

There is no question e mails, Federal Express and other new methods of communication have had their effect on the Post Office. But not to the extent as another cause. The major cause!

The Republican Congress in 2006 passed legislation that Bush 2 signed into law. It was the Postal Accountability & Enhancement Act. It requires the United States Postal Agency to pay $103.7 billion into a fund. The purpose of the fund was to pay health benefits of Postal retirees for seventy five years. You read it correctly! The law compels the post office to prepay retiree health benefits for seventy five years.

As such, the law requires the prefunding for people not yet even in the employ of the Postal Service. Perhaps not yet even born.

The most egregious part of the legislatioon is the time frame within which the $103.7 billion is to be paid. Payment is accelerated. It has to be paid in full by 2016. That means within ten years of its becoming law.

What went on in the back rooms of Congress and the White House, I do not know. How such stringent legislation could be passed is difficult to comprehend.

What happened?

Whatever it is, it is happening all over again. It is one surprise after another.

What I am about to express is not a political statement. Rather it is fact.

The American public has been caught sleeping again. Just as it was when Republican power deregulated banking rules which assisted the mortgage crisis to occur, fight Obamacare which would provide health care to most Americans, and got us into an ill conceived war in Iraq. The same Republican Party that is attempting in several states to cut the pensions of public employees.

Bottom line. The present postal problem is a Congressionally created deficit approved by President Bush only six years ago. It was lunacy to assume such a large 75 year obligation could be funded in full in ten years. Or maybe not lunacy. More like they did not care. Or maybe were not paying attention.

Before this day is out, the Republicans will be shouting that the plan was self funding. It payed for itself. Smoke and mirrors. It was a gigantic give away that has blown up in everyone’s face. Sooner than anyone conceived.

I was going to get into the price of gasoline this morning. A gallon of regualr has dropped $.20 in one week. Good. But how? Normally it moves the other way. Upwards and more expensive.

My day yesterday was good. Blossom’s for lunch. Cuban cheese toast and coffee. Watched the Olympics with the grandkids. Wrote in the afternoon and evening. Never got out.

Pay attention today as this postal crisis develops.

Enjoy your day!