Good morning world!
I feel great this morning. Slept well. The best in ten days. Even my back feels good. I suspect that is why I slept better and am vitalized this morning.
I am into my 26th year of Key West. First as a tourist. Then as a regular vacationer. Then as a home owner. And now for eight years as a full time resident. In all that time, I have been under the impression that the chickens roaming the streets were the result of a City Commission folly.
As the story was told to me early on, the City fathers imported a number of chickens to add to the local color. The politicians did not realize that chickens are sensuous beings and propagate. I think the gestation period is 28 days. Soon the chicken population was and continues to be out of control.
A new story has come to my attention as to the source of the chickens. This one has to do with Cuban immigration. In the 1950s, many Cubans escaped Castro’s revolution. They came to Key West to work in the booming cigar industry.
They brought with them chickens. For meat and eggs. And for cockfighting.
Over time, many of the chickens escaped or were released. The supermarkets became larger. It was cheaper and easier to buy chicken and eggs at the market.
Chickens have no known predators in Key West. Now generations later, they still roam Key West streets. Running freely here and there.
More Beatles lore.
This morning’s Key West Citizen, in its Florida Keys History section, reported that during and following the Beatles visit at the Key Wester Motel, people wanted to buy anything the Beatles had touched or used. Including the pool water they swam in.
Did my blog talk radio show last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Most of the show involved income inequality. Seems to have been well received based on the post show comments.
Some of the facts exposed included net worth. Since 2007, the average net worth of most Americans has dropped 43 percent.
There was another time when Americans were faced with a 1 percent / 99 percent situation. In 1928, one year before the Great Depression.
Another interesting tidbit involved a babysitter’s pay. A babysitter’s average hourly nationally is almost twice the national minimum wage. More than that in Key West from what Lisa tells me. She pays $20 an hour for a babysitter.
KONK Life hits the stands at 5 this afternoon. I have an extended article in this week’s publication titled Income Inequality. Take the time to read it. You will the column interesting and revealing.
Enjoy your day!