LONG LIFE…..3 BEERS AND 1 SHOT PER DAY

Agnes Fenton recently turned 110. Happy birthday! God bless!

The secret to her longevity was born in the early 1940s. Agnes had a brain tumor. She asked the doctor what she should do to avoid another. He told her to each day drink 3 Miller High Life beers and 1 shot of Johnny Walker Black Label scotch. She followed the doctor’s instructions religiously.

I spent a portion of yesterday fine tuning last night’s blog talk radio show. Two topics hit a nerve.

One involved my comments re the federal judge to whom the Tom Brady case has been assigned. I believe he is out of line in the manner he is handling the matter.

The other concerned blanket media censorship of the California class action suit against Monsanto. The people’s right to know has become a joke. We only get to watch, hear, and read what the six corporations controlling 90 percent of the media want us to.

Spent a bit of time working on a love book. A joke! Me writing a love story. My publisher however said give it a try. I feel like a fish out of water.

Three books in the works now. The other two Growing Up Italian and Greece, The First Time. I hope to finish one at some point.

Roostica for dinner before the show. Bobby has added a new desert to the menu. Salted caramel gelato. Outstanding!

I mentioned a big rain monday around dinner time. It was big! 3.4 inches.

Key West hotel business up the past five years. Forbes says the best in the U.S. In spite of the high profit levels, the hotels and tourist industry in general continue to pay small hourly wages. Most receiving $10-12 per hour.

Today’s Key West Citizen editorial says there is a food problem, also. This most of us knew. The extent, not. The editorial says there are 25,000 Key West residents. Four hundred families cannot afford sufficient food. That number equates to 16 percent of the population. A disgrace! Another example of the hotels, etc. getting fat and forgetting to take their help with them.

The same argument can be made for affordable housing. Higher wages might eliminate or lessen the need for taxpayer dollars being spent for affordable housing.

The regular lobster season begins tomorrow. Lobsterfest weekend ahead. Going to be delicious.

Some crazy people out there. Especially, politicians. They want to limit the number of births by the poor.

An Arkansas legislator has submitted a bill that would permit the State to pay unwed low income mothers on Medicaid if they get an IUD implant. Mothers fitting the description would receive $2,500.

Enjoy your day!

 

MISS KEY WEST 1940

Another magnificent morning! The beauty shines as bright as the sun. Blue sky, blue waters. Mangoes and palm trees reflecting the sun.

Who could ask for anything more?

There has to be one happy woman this morning in Key West. Ninety year old Gloria June Suarez White. She grew up at 617 Grinnell St. In 1940, at the age of 15, she was Miss Key West 1940. This morning’s Key West Citizen has a picture of the lovely 1940 beauty queen. I wish they had run a picture of Gloria in her 90 year old glory, also.

I spent yesterday afternoon writing this week’s KONK Life column. It publishes wednesday. The Selling of America. The story of how political contributions rule America. Guaranteed enjoyable reading.

Tavern ‘n Town for dinner in the evening. Interesting reading and interesting people.

I was glancing through the Key West Weekly. A couple of great lines/thoughts. Like Trump…..It’s his hair! Another …..You might be a Bubba if…..You’ve been kicked out of Don’s Place for a dress code violation.

I had the good fortune to sit next to James “Jim” Wallis and friend Arlene. The conversation was interesting. Jim lives on Torch Key. He works at Little Palm Island. A great place to be employed!

Jim once ran for President. President of the United States. I could not understand how. Write in, whatever. He got two votes. Good for him! He is probably the only living former Presidential candidate living in the Keys.

Yesterday was Battle of the Bars. A local charity fundraiser. In its 22nd year. Bartenders do all kinds of crazy competitive things. Like racing each other with a tray of drinks. Cannot lose a drink!

Battle of the Bars is a Schooner Wharf centered event. The best place for it! Last year’s winners both of the event and the bragging rights that go with it was the Half Shell Raw Bar.

Unfortunately, I missed the event yesterday. I did not plan my time properly. Getting this week’s KONK Life column out took precedence.

Monroe County is considering using tax money for affordable housing. As I consistently hold, Key West businesses should pay higher wages. You can’t pay a mortgage on $10 or $12 an hour. The hotel and tourist businesses have had five consecutive good years. Spread the wealth a bit! Leave tax dollars out of the equation.

Those who have been here a while can remember. The Copa Nightclub. Burned down in a fire this day in 1995. Rebuilt, though not as the Copa of old. A similar business has never made it in the same location. The magic went down with the fire.

Hemingway finished writing A Farewell To Arms while living in Key West. I enjoy old movies. During the night, I had difficulty sleeping. Flipped on the TV set. There was A Farewell To Arms staring Rock Hudson and Jennifer Jones.

Hemingway and his A Farewell To Arms characters spent much time at Lake Maggiore. Lake Maggiore sits between Italy and Switzerland. The row boat escape took place on Lake Maggiore.

I have been fortunate to have visited Lake Maggiore several times. Beautiful old Italian towns. Obviously once a high end place to vacation. Still is. The hotels are old, though well kept. I drank in Hemingway’s favorite hotel/bar. Like going to Church!

Enjoy your day!

RACIAL BIAS IN PARADISE

Racial bias/selective police enforcement in Key West was a primary topic at the ACLU town hall meeting last night.

I had intended to attend the town hall meeting. Unfortunately, I could not. This morning’s Key West Citizen ran an informative article re the event.

I have spent a quarter of a century in Key West. Having had previous experience with police (I represented 55,000 full time civil service police officers at one time in my legal career), I probably have paid closer attention to police than most. This includes the Sheriff’s Department.

I have never seen the racial bias/selective enforcement complained of. That does not mean it does not exist. I do find fault with Key West police re the Charles Eimers case. Regardless of the official outcome, it leaves me concerned and worried.

Sheriff Department personnel are more congenial. They talk in a respectful manner. Key West officers come across tough, their tone intimidating on occasion.

Perhaps Key West has more difficult problems than Monroe County. Ergo, a different attitude is required. I do not know

Such are my impression of things.

I spent a good part of yesterday working on tonight’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Great topics! One involves the major thieves of all time. Banks.

Water is predicted to be the oil of the 21st century. The mega banks are buying water sources world wide. It is possible at some point that water will be as costly as gasoline and as profitable for the banks as derivative trading, exorbitant interest rates, etc.

Join me. Nine my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

I finished Elizabeth Warren’s book A Fighting Chance. Read it. Worth while.

The narrative portion of the book is outstanding. Warren writes in a talking fashion. Her story easy to follow.

The only negative I thought was what followed at the end of the book. Pages of excerpts from records of her daily professional activities. Boring. I could not complete that portion. The only thing I can think of is that the excerpts were added to give additional volume to the book. Bulk/number of pages enters into the cost of a book.

Pru Somers has done it again. The woman can write. I recommend her article in this morning’s KONK Life E-Blast. The topic involves affordable housing. She points out there is a lot of room for construction. However, the City cries it has no money to build.

Key West does not spend its funds in a thoughtful process. It overpays for public buildings, replaces public multimillion dollar structures after 20-30 years, talks of building more parking garages, spends money on studies never used, on and on. In the meantime, the working people of Key West do not have affordable housing.

I have to hustle. Physiotherapy this morning. I hope the program cures my falling incidents.

Enjoy your day!