GROOVIEST EVENT IN MUSIC HISTORY

After three days, Woodstock ended. This date in 1969. The event described by many as the grooviest event in music history. I don’t know. I was not there. However, Larry Smith and Larry Flynn were. Two Larrys. Today, Smith lives in Key West and Flynn in the Utica, NY area. Contact them personally to get their thoughts.

I do have a recollection of Woodstock even though I was not there. It took forever to leave. To get out. One to three days. Woodstock was in the middle of no where.

A client’s son telephoned me. He was stuck in Woodstock. Asked if I could get him out. How? Helicopters were not even permitted in the area. I recommended patience.

Spent a bit of time yesterday afternoon fine tuning last night’s podcast show. Good show! In a quick half hour, I covered topics involving Libya, Wyoming, Iowa, Germany, Monsanto, Malia Obama, cannabis, Donald Trump, Paul Manafort, and more.

Roostica for a light dinner. Artichoke dip. I was not that hungry.

I stopped my beloved anti-gravity treadmill last week. It was making me tired. I had cut back from five days to three days. Still tired afterwards. Went at slower speeds. Tiredness lasted 4-5 hours.

I am not tired this week. Feel terrific. Wide awake. Me thinks the treadmill was too much for me. Got to figure it out. Has to be my heart. Enlarged problems. I get tired exerting myself. Even a little. The heart has to pump harder to move the blood through.

Exercise is a must. Some type. Not as much. I am walking, but not that far nor fast. Will be visiting with my doctors. We’ll work it out.

I mentioned the other day that Maine lobster was cheaper to buy in Key West than local lobster. Now, I learn that fish is being trucked in from outside the area. The reason claimed is that local catch have become too expensive. Does not surprise me. Everything else has shot up dramatically in Key West the past few years.

Greed part of the problem.

The Key West City Commission is jumping into the hospital problem with both feet. As I suspected. Not healthy for resolution of the problem. The Commission has authorized the City Attorney to explore several avenues. One, a lawsuit.

Local politicians have a propensity to screw everything up. Why should the hospital problem be any different.

Another example of political lunacy is what the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District board is doing. The board is elected.

The board announced a 45 percent increase in taxes. To pay for a new building they claim is needed. It was announced yesterday that Oxitec will lease space in the old building to rear genetically modified mosquitoes for other counties. At $25 a square foot.

I fear the board has already made up its mind re the referendum. Recall, it is non-binding. I see the board rejecting the referendum result and going ahead with the testing.

I call the residents of Key Haven guinea pigs. Someone recently referred to us as lab rats. Both fit.

Common Dreams published an excellent article on 8/16/16 re the problem. Florida Keys Residents Resist Controversial GMO Mosquito Trial. Interesting reading.

An item in the article involves profit. Oxitec is a subsidiary of Intrexon. It is estimated Intrexon will profit $400 million if tests are successful and the GMO mosquitoes can be sold nation wide. The only test scheduled in the United States is Key Haven.

Trump gets his first intelligence briefing today. I fear he will not be able to keep secret that which he learns. I visualize him at some future date spouting of during a speech something he learned at one of the briefings. The man is a loose cannon, not stable.

My column in this week’s KONK Life is Mommy, I’m Hungry. The story of starvation in Venezuela. Hits the stands later today. Recommended reading.

Enjoy your day!

 

AGGRAVATION FREE TRIP TO CUBA

Though relations are better with Cuba, a U.S. trip to Cuba still involves some aggravation.

Not for Fleming, however. He even traveled free.

Fleming is a turtle. He was found injured last year and taken to the Marathon Turtle Hospital. Fleming was returned to good health.

On July 22, he was returned to the ocean at Sombrero Beach. Got a big send off.

The hospital attached a satellite tag to Fleming. They follow his travels. He is now in Cuba.

You can follow Fleming’s meanderings. www.tourdeturtles.org.

Yesterday was wednesday. Wednesday is screw off time for me. I spend saturday through tuesday researching and writing. Then three days off beginning with wednesday. Look forward to wednesdays! Love the day!

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill at Body Owners. Me, Jenny and the machine. I did not kill myself. Ran at a moderate speed. Still exhausted afterwards.

I have decided to take a week off. I am going to walk at Home Depot those days to see if it makes any difference.

After the treadmill, I hurried to Verizon Wireless. The good one. The one in the Winn Dixie Shopping Center.

Nana took care of me again. She is teaching me how to use my new cell phone. I am a dunce! Having difficulty learning. Retaining all the steps involved. These new phones are computers. Love it! Have to learn how to use them, however.

A generational thing. My era born and I are not mechanically inclined.

Lunch was at the Cuban Coffee Queen. Splurged. Instead of a cheese toast, I had a BLT. On pressed Cuban bread. Delicious!

Halley working up front. Ruby in the kitchen.

Ruby is an experienced cook. Seven years at Outback. She has also worked at several restaurants around town.

Spent the afternoon reading. An interesting World War II story. Involved Normandy on D-Day. A group of engineers were sent in before the landing to destroy whatever was on the beach and in the water that would affect a safe landing.

The landing site Utah beach.

The men were told before hand the mission was dangerous and few would survive. The men worked in groups of three. Only one in each group was alive at the end of the morning.

Last night began with the Back Door at Aqua. Mark Watson back. He just returned from a week on Fire Island.

Then to Roostica for dinner. Gnocchi.

The Florida Keys Community College, aka FKCC, was recently rated by SmartAsset.com.

There are 565 community colleges in the U.S. FKCC was rated #18. Very commendable!

A statement in the commendation hit home. Today’s young are looking for a good inexpensive education that will provide a good return on their investment. Not always the case today with those receiving four year degrees.

The quote: Community colleges “…..provide their students with an inexpensive, world class education and a good return on investment.”

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

NOT SURPRISED BY HOSPITAL RATING

Few living in the lower Keys could have been surprised by the rating our local hospital received. This morning’s Key West Citizen reported that a recent federal study listed the Lower Keys Medical Center with the lowest rating possible.

Such reflective of the public battle between a citizens group and the hospital.

Someone should look at the dollar numbers. Follow the money is always good advice. I would be interested in knowing the hospital’s gross and net. I suspect the net has to be significant. Perhaps more than normal when  placed beside comparable hospitals.

I would also check how the hospital/collection agency thing works. Are the hospital bills being bought by the agency? If so, a hospital would be inclined to get rid of the bills quickly.

My morning yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. Went slow this time. Two miles an hour rather than 4. My tiredness a concern. I was still tired, though not as much.

Then to the Cuban Coffee House. Ruby has disappeared from public view. She is cooking in the kitchen. A new young lady at the counter. Halley.

Spoke briefly with Ruby. She enjoys cooking. My sense was she had another job previously where she was a short order cook.

Spent the afternoon researching tonight’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Stimulating topics. Like the Kahn-Trump disgrace, German persecution of homosexuals, Swedish youngsters being paid to play with Muslim immigrant children, it now being legal for cops to have sex with minors in Ohio, Venezuelans butchering zoo animals for food, urine samples  being collected door to door in Miami in battle against Zika, and more.

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

One of the best podcasts on the internet.

Last night began with Aqua and the Dueling Bartenders. Tom Luna and Rich Dery. Great entertainment!

Met Tom and Fran Dixon by pre-arrangement. Love ’em!

Josey and David at the bar. So was Darryl. Did not know Darryl. However, a nice guy. He bought for the bar! Also met Bill. He wanted to chat with me re last week’s bagel column. The article turned out to be a popular one.

This week’s column is German Persecution of Homosexuals. Not nice. Hits the stands tomorrow.

Tom and Fran left. I was all alone at the bar. Decided to eat. Went over to the outside bar at La Te Da.

When I left Aqua, I noticed Mangoes all ripped up. Piles of dirt. A huge excavator sitting in the middle of the place.

Broke my heart.

I should not have been surprised. Mangoes recently changed hands. The new owner is obviously putting a new face on the place.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

TERRI WHITE…..ILL

Terri White experienced a heart attack tuesday while at home here in Key West. She was helicoptered to Miami’s Mount Sinai Hospital.

A catheterization. Ninety percent blockage in one artery. A stent put in.

She was sitting up in bed last night eating a hospital roast beef dinner. Complaining about the beef and the rest of the food.

Terri will be home soon. If all ok, today.

Someone was looking over her shoulder. In addition to Donna. God.

My day yesterday began withe the anti-gravity treadmill. Whereas I took it easy monday and ended up tired, yesterday I went at it. I pushed hard. It is my way. I had to test myself. Went to a high speed fast and stayed there. I was not tired afterwards. You figure.

Then to Walgreens. Always going to Walgreens. Getting old means pills. Tons of them. Not complaining. Keeps me healthy. No question about it. My heart doctor says it is the pills for me.

Even for generics, prescriptions can be expensive. I pay $40 for one and $36 for another. Both reached those dramatic levels this year.

Stopped at Verizon. Still learning my cell phone. Nana my teacher not there. Had to cover the Marathon store. Will stop by again tomorrow.

I am becoming a regular at Aqua. Twice a week.

Last night, the Back Door. Expected to see Mark Watson. Not there. On Fire Island for a few days. Tom Luna covering for him.

Chatted quite a while with Tom. First time so long. Interesting background. An interesting person. He spent much time in New York. We compared notes.

Jeremy came in. Tom introduced us. Jeremy is Aqua’s general manager. Thirty seven. Enjoyed his company. He is knowledgeable. His ability obvious.

Start of mini-lobster season busy yesterday. Much busier than I thought. Guess I was outside watching for the boats too early.

A picture in this morning’s Key West Citizen shows the boats. Bumper to bumper, so to speak.

A 60 year old man became ill while diving off Cudjoe Key yesterday. Fortunately, a Navy helicopter was nearby. Within 15 minutes, he had been airlifted to the Lower Keys Medical Center. Unfortunately, he did not survive.

A boat with four persons went out tuesday. Not diving for lobsters yet. One day early. Merely diving. Intended to go out 7-8 miles. Boat became disabled. The Coast Guard was out looking for them. They were found yesterday 33 miles out. Everyone fine.

There were a number of boats that passed by my home this morning. All heading out to dive for lobsters. Some of the boats overloaded with people. Reminded me of the scene in Jaws when everyone was going out to catch the shark.

Then it rained. At 7:45 it poured. Typical tropical storm. Heavy for 10 minutes. Big time thunder. Water picking up. Then it stopped and everything returned to normal.

I would not have wanted to be out on a boat during those 10 minutes.

William Hackley reports today that Matilda’s milk is still not good. Baby not tolerating it. Baby has been sick for three days. Coughing up green stuff.

I am beginning to worry about Baby.

My Republican, conservative, far right friends, how can you support Trump? A man who invites Russia/Putin to admit and share e-mails hacked from our private files. Trump is crazy. Putin is crazy.

Trump said he would accept Putin’s word on anything he says. Trump forgets that Putin denied for months that it was Russian troops in disguise who invaded Crimea.

Trump makes himself sound like the patriot of patriots. He is going to save America!

The 18th century writer Samuel Johnson said: “Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.”

I have followed and been concerned with Venezuela President Nicolos Maduro for three years. Another President is added. He is President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines.

Drugs are a major problem in the Philippines. Duterte has authorized police and citizens to kill anyone on the spot who they discover using or selling drugs. He advises he will pardon anyone involved in the killings.

No due process involved. Kill them and throw them into the sea. Dtterte said the fish will get fat off their bodies.

Duterte is a nut. Like Maduro. And, Trump.  Duterte wants to retire with a reputation comparable to Idi Amin. So he says.

Ugh!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

MOSQUITO CONTROL BOARD OUT OF CONTROL

The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District. A pompous sounding name. Most refer to it as the Mosquito Control Board. I will.

Pomposity is not in name alone. I am beginning to think it applies to Board members. All elected to their positions. Ergo, directly answerable to the people. Something they seem to have forgotten.

I say VOTE THEM OUT! All of them.

The board recently passed a new policy. Any information re Zeka, dengue fever and other tropical diseases are not to be discussed by Board members till the State Health Department has confirmed a case first. Even then, the Board’s attorney has approval/disapproval power.

Stupid!

People have a right to know. Especially where health issues are involved. What happened to transparency.

The Zeka battle has left Board members shell shocked. Their own fault. They have been handling the Zeka problem in a ridiculous fashion.

Top employees are well paid. The Executive Director receives $135,000 a year. My admonition: Don’t screw with the public. You are placing your job on the line.

The Board decided it needed a new building. Last year at this time, the Board was advised the building would cost $2.4 million. Not making a decision, the price has jumped $2 million in one year to $4.4 million. Not understandable in itself.

Yesterday, the Board approved a 45 percent increase in property taxes to pay for the new building. Forty five percent!!!

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. Jenny encouraging. Body Owners helpful. I stayed at a lower speed for 30 minutes. A slight step backward. However, it was all I thought I could handle.

Then to Verizon wireless. The Verizon store in the Winn Dixie Shopping Plaza.

Lesson #2 in learning how to use my new telephone. Got it six months ago. A total disaster for me!

I visited the store recently and told the young lady behind the counter that I had the new phone, bought it from them six months ago, could not use it. Needed help. Could they help? I was willing to pay. Or direct me to someone I could hire to teach me.

Her name, Nana Hernandez. Her title, Wireless Professional. She said I will teach you and it will cost you nothing. Yesterday was help/lesson #2. A step at a time. She is patient. We have a schedule. Three times a week. In a month, I will be a terror!

Dinner last night at Hot Tin Roof with Frances and Chris. Interesting people. Fun. They return up north today and will not be back till the Fall.

This afternoon research for this week’s KONK Life column. Research will be completed today. I will write the column tomorrow.

About bagels. For real. An interesting history yesterday and today.

What a change in subject matter! Last week’s article was about the new prostitution.

Four more people approached me yesterday about the Prostitution column. All women. Forty to 60 years in age. Probably mothers and grandmothers. Without deviation, all consider the new prostitution deplorable.

Big day for Hemingway Days! Running of the Bulls and the Hemingway Look A-Like Contest. Makes for a great afternoon.

Immigration a problem almost everywhere. Great Britain hit over the years big time with hordes of immigrants.

A recent study indicates the British people are becoming a minority in their own country. 2015 birth rates show 3.2 immigrant babies born for every 1.8 British babies. Just a question of time.

The five leading immigrant groups in order of their numbers are the Polish, Pakistanis, Indians, Bangladeshis, and Nigerians.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

BABY BETTER

William Hackley reports in his 1855 diary entry of this date that Baby is well. I am thrilled. Wonder how? Yesterday little sustenance. Baby was in trouble. Another question: What is Baby’s name? Hackley keeps referring to the child as Baby.

Lets stay with health for the moment. The war is ongoing between the corporation that owns The Lower Keys Medical Center and Key West citizenry. Nicki Will was CEO of the hospital. She resigned yesterday. I am sure because of the notoriety/conflict. What next?

The third round of the British Open has killed me. My eyes are slits as I type. I got screwed up somehow.

I thought the third round would begin 1;30 this morning. I stayed awake for it. At 1:30, there was a flash it would be 2:00. I continued to remain awake. What I got was an old Barbasol tournament. Not even first class golfers.

Saw another flash on the screen…..4.

I continued to stay awake. Watched old movies on TV.

Four came and so did a rerun of the second round. Not the fresh third one.

I said screw it and went to sleep. Woke at 6.

I sit here writing extremely tired. Guess what is on TV at the moment. The third round of the British Open. It is 10 am. Been running for an hour.

I got the hours wrong. The change in time.

It is going to be a terrific day! I am bushed already.

Yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. Speed still good. Time up by 2 minutes. Two minutes beyond what I used to do. Fantastic! The gravity level remains at 50 percent. Perhaps by the end of this coming week, I will be back to normal re the gravity level.

Lunch as usual at the Cuban Coffee Queen.

Then to Tammy for a manicure.

Tammy is a lovely Asian. Beautiful. Tiny and thin. Generally wears her black hair long and straight. Yesterday, rolled on top of her head in a ball.

Haircut? No, too hot.

I soon understood what she meant by too hot. The air conditioner was on the blink. Second day in a row. They are waiting a new unit to be delivered from Miami.

It was a lousy day to get a manicure. My shirt was soaked a half hour later when Tammy was done.

I thought of women who shower and get dressed for a date. Then stop to get their nails done before meeting the date. They were going to be mad! Another shower would be required before meeting their dates.

I had a good time last night. At the Chart Room. Met up with Frances and Chris Clark. By prearrangement. Frances has had four books published. Her latest titled Frances Watson Clark: Key West. A photographic  history of Key West.

Well done. Buy it. Amazon.com.

Their daughter Katherine was with them. An adult. A professional photographer. Her forte sensitivity. Reflected in her work.

Katherine presently engaged in taking photos of breast cancer victims. Before, during and after surgery. With taste. To show the strength, resourcefulness, etc. of the women involved.

Katherine’s girl friend Melissa was with them. Melissa a photographer, also. She is a sports photographer with the Caroline Panthers. Sounds good.

I forgot Chris. Husbands/fathers always seem to come last. Chris is a retired banker.

The family is from Georgia. Still have a home in Georgia. Also a home in Key West. On Eaton Street.

We plan on having dinner together soon.

A Venezuela update. Two days ago, I reported Venezuelans were out of food. Were eating their pets. Dogs and cats. Sad.

Nicolas Maduro is a poor President. Inept. As I have been saying for three years, the people should revolt. They first ran out of toilet paper. Three years later, still out of toilet paper. Now, food.

Maduro announced yesterday that he was appointing an Army general to be in charge of a new food supply system. Every federal agency is now run by a general.

Last year, Maduro announced a new federal department. Cabinet level. A Director of Happiness, or something like that. Everyone was going to be kumbaya! Did not work. You cannot tell people they are happy if they are not. If they are hungry and cannot wipe their asses.

I question a bit what I have been reading and reporting re the hunger situation. The Wall Street Journal ran a good sized photo yesterday of  Venezuelans crossing a bridge that was the border between Venezuela and Columbia. The border had been opened for 12 hours to permit Venezuelans to cross over into Columbia to buy groceries.

The adults and children looked healthy. Especially the adults. Most, overweight.

Zika. Mosquito bite the cause. Florida Keys concerned. I sometimes think we are the home from whence mosquitoes emanate.

No Zika cases in our area however.

A case in another part of the country was reported yesterday. A first time situation. A woman gave Zika to a male via sex. Supposedly not common.

Enjoy your day!

 

FREEDOM AT LAST

Early wednesday morning, six Cuban immigrants safely landed in Key West. At the Southernmost Point.The end of South Street. The place where tourists wait in line to have their picture taken.

The dive boat that took them to safety could be seen behind the Southernmost Point. A warm sight knowing the circumstances. The six could not have landed at a better place.

Now that we have some sort of relationship with Cuba, I no longer can accept returning Cuban refugees who did not land with their feet on American soil. A concept that has outlived its time.

I saw on TV this morning, a Cuban who had just arrived and his father that had been in the U.S. 36 years. Embracing. Crying. The first time in 36 years father and son saw or touched each other.

Yesterday began normally. The anti-gravity treadmill first. I have exceeded my original top speed. Now 4.0 as opposed to 3.5. Miles per hour. Time equal to back when. Gravity still at 50 percent. I need it there or a while yet.

David Wolkowsky has been absent recently. He went to New York City. Ninety six years old and takes a few days off to visit the Big Apple. What a guy!

Followed it up with Ruby at the Cuban Coffee Queen. Ruby is terrific! She remembers your order and name. Similar to a bartender knowing your drink. All the time smiling.

A stop at Walgreens to pick up another prescription. I have 11 prescriptions requiring 13 pills a day to be taken. All doctor prescribed. My heart doctor says it is what is keeping my heart and blood pressure ok. I am “pill controlled” as he puts it.

I could sense it was going to rain last night at dinner time. Decided to stay close to home. Drove over to Hogfish. Sat at the bar. Knew we were going to get hit with a heavy rain. Monsoon type. You could small, taste and feel it coming.

It did. Fortunately, the bar area protected me from getting wet.

My happy birthday with Jenna this evening. My birthday. The last day of celebration. It is dinner at Azur. I am looking forward to Jenna and Azur. Both top of the line.

I am beginning to worry about William Hackley’s baby. He, a fried and what I assume was a nun stayed up all evening with the baby. Baby appeared better at 10 in the morning.

The thought occurs…..The Republican Party holds itself out as the party of family values. So they run a Presidential candidate who has had three wives. If Newt Gingrich is the VP choice, the heads of the Republican ticket will have had six wives.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…..” The opening phrase in Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities. “Let them eat cake.” Attributed to Marie Antoinette. Questioned by some whether she was the one who actually uttered the words.

They come to mind because it was on this date in 1789 that French revolutionaries stormed the Bastille. The beginning of the French revolution.

Pouring like hell at the moment. I suspect we may have slipped into the rainy season.

Enjoy your day!

 

BABY MILK 1855

When first the Key West Citizen decided to run an 1855 diary by Key West resident William Hackley, I was excited. After a few readings, disappointed. I was learning nothing. Then I started getting glimpses of Hackley’s life. Today, I am in with both feet. Love Hackley’s diary!

Hackley’s wife had a baby. Home born. Mother breast feeding. Mother’s milk supply not sufficient. Hackley ordered a goat from Havana. The goat finally arrived. The goat had recently born a kid. The goat’s milk was not right. Not in its prime.

Baby not doing well.

I anxiously await further readings to see how the milk problem was resolved.

Think my friends how lucky we are today. New mothers can breast feed or open a can and pour the milk into a bottle. Babies never in danger.

Yesterday morning, the anti-gravity treadmill. I am pushing myself. I am finally into a good health kick.

My time, 30 minutes. What I usually did. Took me a couple of of months to get back to that number. Speed back to normal also. Gravity the item to be corrected. I am moving at 50 percent of the gravity level I was accustomed to. I am reluctant to push higher at this time.

Jenny is taking good care of me. She is watching every part of my work out. Pushing me in her soft quiet manner.

Then to the Cuban Coffee Queen for Cuban toast and cold Cuban coffee. Sat quietly and read the newspapers.

The Cuban Coffee Queen prides itself on its ice cubes being frozen Cuban coffee. I noticed yesterday that my drink had half coffee cubes and half regular cubes.

It was too busy to ask the staff why. Next time, I will ask Ruby if the Queen is cutting back or merely running out.

Publix does not have everything. I stopped at GFS/Gordon’s for a couple of items. The place being remodeled. Big time. Nothing where it was. Staff told me products will be displayed in different spots when remodeling complete.

I hate that.

I ran into Tonya Colston while in GFS/Gordon’s. Never met her before. Have seen her around town. She has a distinctive hair do. Punk style. Natural color. Actually, looks good on her.

I told her I had recently seen her picture with her wife in KONK E-Blast. She was surprised. She had not seen it. A nice lady. We will remember each other when next we meet. She, easy to recall. Me, maybe not. I have no hair.

This good health kick includes eating. I am trying to cut my food consumption by 50 percent. Means the refrigerator is empty. Extremely little. I had to stop at Publix for a few things. Very few.

Spent the afternoon researching for my blog talk radio show tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Love doing this podcast. One half hour beginning at 9. Fast moving opinionated talk by me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics tonight include Congress going on a seven week vacation without appropriating any money for Zika, Venezuelian people down to eating their pets, 3,500 young people demonstrating in Berlin over the weekend, German people upset with rapes and sexual abuses by immigrants, New York Times reporting this morning that there is no racial bias in police reported shootings, an overview of this week’s KONK Life column The New Prostitution, and more.

Roostica for dinner. Limoncello wings. Different! Delicious!

Tiny Key West can make claim to many firsts. One is desalinization. Turning sea water into drinking water.

The first desalinization plant in the United States was constructed in Key West in the 1840s. To provide water for troops stationed at Fort Zachary Taylor.

Today, modernized plants. Desalinization plants on Stock Island and Marathon. A back up water supply. Three million gallons a day.

I was born and raised Catholic. Went to a Catholic high school. A massive Church part of the high school complex. St. John’s.

Occasionally, I would hear from my non Catholic friends that Catholics were storing guns in the basement of St. John’s Church. For the coming fight with Protestants. Did not make sense to me. Never heard a priest or nun speak adversely of Protestants. Never had been in the basement of the Church. It was off limits. Locked.

On this day in 1871, a major riot occurred during a parade in New York City between Protestants and Catholics. The Protestants known as Orangemen. The Catholics, Irish Catholics. Trouble was expected. Fifteen hundred police officers and five regiments of the national guard called to keep the peace.

There was no peace. Sixty died. Mostly Irish laborers. Injureds in the hundreds.

There were other riots/fights in 1870 and 1871.

The Protestants hated the Catholics. The Catholics, the Protestants.

The Catholics were primarily immigrants. Irish. The Irish hated the Protestants because they were constantly abused by them. The Protestants disliked the Catholics who were immigrants with strange ways unfamiliar to the Protestants.

Enjoy your day!

 

BOBBY NESBITT BACK

It was back to the anti-gravity treadmill yesterday. Pushed myself. Got my time to within five minutes of what I used to do. Gravity level still at 50 percent though.

Spent the afternoon thinking and searching re this week’s KONK column. As usual, I came up with nothing. By 2 this afternoon, I must. Must complete research this afternoon preparatory to writing the column tomorrow.

Bobby Nesbitt has been away for a few weeks. He’s back. Knew he was going to be at Tavern ‘n Town last night. Planned on going.

Dee called me around 3. What are you doing tonight? I told her. She asked if she could join me. Of course.

Dee and I enjoyed dinner together while listening to Bobby Nesbitt last night.

I have been celebrating my birthday off and on all week. Tonight the last celebration! Jenna is taking me to dinner at Azur for my birthday. A double winner for me. Love Jenna. Always glad to be with her. Azur a fine restaurant. For some reason, I rarely go however.

The Wall Street Journal ran an article this week that indicated the price of gasoline had dropped dramatically in the last 20 days. There is a glut of gasoline.

No dramatic drop in Key West! Three cents. From $2.66 a gallon to $2.63.

The Journal article said gasoline dropped to $2.26 a gallon. Again, not in Key West!

Even better, the article stated more than 20,000 gas stations around the country are selling gasoline for less than $2 a gallon. Not in Key West!

Hemingway Days around the corner. July 19-24. Hemingway look alikes, the running of the bulls. Love it!

Mangoes. Key West not Key West without Mangoes. The restaurant is presently closed. Changed hands. Remodeling going on. I do not know the reopening date.

Everyone has had something happen to them at Mangoes. Sixteen years ago, I met Howard Livingston at the bar. We became instantaneous friends. Not today’s Howard Livingston. He was the Chicago CEO at the time.

The Beatles are coming to Key west. July 11 at 8 pm. The Key West Theater.

A group known as The Return performs a Beatles look alike, sing alike. Sounds interesting. A return to great music of yesteryear.

Enjoy your day!

 

AQUA DUELING BARTENDERS

I have a new hang out monday evenings. Aqua at cocktail hour. The Dueling Bartenders sing. Great voices!

Adding to the event is that the two bartenders vocalizing are generally dressed in drag.

No, I am not switching. I do recognize good entertainment, however.

Last night’s bartenders were Rich Dery and Mark Watson. Mark always teriffic. First time I saw Rich dressed. A better looking woman than man.

A newly married couple joined the festivities. 50ish. Bride attired in long white shoulderless dress. Groom in white shirt and pants. Tourists.

A happy couple! Danced and joked. They admonished all that though this was the first marriage for both, neither were virgins. They thought we should know.

Tom Luna working the bar. Not dressed. Introduced me to George. Glad he did. We hit it off.

George is a retired Long Island high school principal. He and his wife live in Truman Annex. Ten grandchildren. Graduated from Bowling Green. A history major. I was a history major, also.

The conversation good. We agreed to try to meet again wednesday at the Back Door Bar.

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. Did better. Pushed everything. Even elevation. A little too much. I was tired before I finished.

Then to the Cuban Coffee Queen for lunch. Lovely Ruby there again. Love her!

Children’s accidents have been commonplace lately. The bear situation and then the Disney alligator happening. I saw one in the making yesterday at the Cuban Coffee Queen.

The place has two large fans to cool things down. Big. A tiny 3-4 year old girl walked up to one. Her face almost touching the wire cage. Blades zooming around inside.

Her father happened to see her. He calmly said watch out, it could grab your hair. Then turned around and never looked at her again. She stayed where she was, never moving. Dad never looked back at her again.

I was five feet away. Impulsively yelled out…..Hey! Dad immediately turned around, saw his daughter still standing there, grabbed her hand and walked away.

My afternoon was spent working on my podcast tonight. My blog talk radio show Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. A quick interesting half hour of political and social chatter. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics include Venezuela’s lack of food, a 4 year old shoot seeking food in Venezuela, Oakland Police Department under investigation for an underage sex scandal involving officers, three Oakland police chiefs discharged one after another within three weeks, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker on a kick again, this time to require drug testing of food stamp recipients and the unemployed.

Also, big U.S. banks investing heavy in outlawed cluster bomb stocks to the tune of $28 billion over 4 years, Mein Kampf a bestseller again in Germany, U.S. Senate approves draft registration for women, Napoleon being troubled by mosquitoes and hemorrhoids, and more.

Time of the year for Key West drag contests. The Miss Firecracker Pageant next. July 1. In the Crystal Room at La Te Da. An Aids fundraiser. Hosted by Miss Closet Ball 2011.

The Mosquito Control Board is as devious as the Key West City Commission. The Board is entertaining at a meeting tomorrow night to move the GM mosquito testing issue affecting Key Haven from a late August vote to the general election in November. Consideration being given also to not having a vote at all.

The Board is elected. I guarantee all will be voted out if they pursue this game playing. My neighbors are furious. We are opposed to using our island used as a guinea pig for testing.

Several months ago, the FDA sent out an approval of the GM mosquitoes. Did not make sense to me. The Board was saying see, the FDA says use of the GM mosquitoes not dangerous.

I checked. The FDA did say such. However, it applied solely to the Mosquitoes. Injection of the chemicals was not dangerous to the mosquitoes. Nothing said about human safety.

Few listened. I was a voice in the wilderness.

Yesterday, the Board chairman reported another option was to wait for the FDA to rule on the test. The human end of it.

Last night was Outback. A late dinner of chicken wings.

Dennis there. He is the Tavern ‘n Town manager.

I was eating at the bar. A beautiful woman came in and sat several seats away. A magnificent creature! White man’s shirt opened almost to the waist. boobs slightly exposed. Face make up perfect. Had to be someone in drag.

Rare to see dining out in restaurants.

Ran into a Syracuse grad friend. Where have you been, I asked. Had not seen him in several years. Just returned from Belize. We used to watch Syracuse games together. He may show up wednesday at the Back Door Bar.

Enjoy your day!