BUBBA SYSTEM

Bubba system. A term used mainly in the Florida keys. Means friends taking care of friends. In Key West, Conchs taking care of each other as well.

Almost a year ago on July 14, 2015, my blog was titled Bubba System At Work. Concerned the Key West City Commission and its treatment of Uber. Uber drivers were being arrested.

Key West is still with out Uber. Many want it. Tourists and locals alike. Thus far, their requests ignored. The City Commission finally discussed the issue last night. Passed the buck.

The City Commission entertained allowing Uber to operate on the island. Fifty persons present. Many spoke. The City Commission decoded to delay a decision. The excuse was that the Florida legislature was studying the issue and Key West should take a wait and see attitude till a State decision was forthcoming. It was contemplated the decision would take one to two years.

A bubba decision! There is no reason why Key West could not take a position at the present time. No State law prohibiting Uber. No assurance the State will take a position at any time.

What the City Commission did was take care of their local friends. The people who own the cab companies.

Money was not involved. Perhaps if it was, a swifter decision could have been made. Like the $12.5 million Peary Court decision. A bubba action if there ever was one. Key Westers are still waiting to find out who the principals are who will benefit from the decision.

Vote those City Commissioners not acting in the best interests of Key West out next election! Replace them! How many times do the people of Key West have to be screwed before they act/react?

Yesterday was cholesterol blood work and an echo test. See my heart doctor next thursday for the results.

Following the blood letting, I went to the Creperie for breakfast. Second tine I have been there. Should go more often. Terrific food! Great coffee!

The Creperie is in K-Mart Plaza.

Started my night on the town with a visit with Mark Watson at the Back Door Bar. Zoey joined us. First time I met Zoey. Charming company. Zoey works at Havana on Duval. The old Camille’s.

Orlando and American medical treatment discussed at length. Good conversation.

Then to Duffy’s for another Maine lobster. I’m hooked!

This week’s KONK Life hit the stands yesterday. My column this week is The Rape of Social Security. Read it. Revealing.

The column was posted thus morning to my Key west Lou website. It can be read there also.

One of the Orlando victims is Patience Carter. She survived. Shot in her legs.

A 20ish Afro-American. Lovely.

Yesterday morning, I came across a video of her reading a poem she had written while in the hospital concerning the shooting. Tears sliding down her cheeks.

I noted she was an intern at FOX in Philadelphia.

Read the Wall Street Journal yesterday at breakfast. Patience’s picture on the front page. Large. The by line stated she got out of the Pulse Club ok. However went back in to find her friends. That is when she was shot.

Rudolph Murdoch owns FOX. He also owns the Wall Street Journal. Patience has a great career ahead of her. A jewel inadvertently discovered. A star rising out of tragedy.

I am considering a trip to Europe. Italy. Greece too dangerous. Italy has some safe spots. If I go, it will be to two places. One is Courmayeur. I have visited before. Chalet living half way up Mont Blanc. The other, Camogli on the Italian Riviera.

We shall see.

In 1858, Abraham Lincoln was running for the U.S. Senate. A race he lost. He said on this date that a house divided could not stand. He was paraphrasing a passage from the New Testament: “…..a house divided against itself cannot stand.”

We are a divided nation once again. The issues different. Yet we are divided. Divided for many years.

How long can we survive so divided? The division is like a cancer eating away at a body. Will it be cured before it is too late?

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

DIVERSITY USA

Big days for the Key West gay and lesbian community. Actually, big days for the entire Key West community.

This is Pride Week. Pride Week salutes diversity in Key West. One of America’s leading gay and lesbian communities.

All kinds of events. The Rainbow Bike Parade tonight. Begins 6:30 at Bayview Park. A Pride Street Fair on the 700-900 blocks of Duval saturday. The Pride Parade sunday at 5. Plus more.

In addition to Pride activities, Miss Gay USofA was recently crowned in Dallas. She belongs to Key West. In order to be eligible for the national pageant, she had to win a local one. She did. In January, Miss Gay Southernmost USofA.

The pageant consists of female impersonators and transgenders. Aurora Sexton represented Key West. Congrats Auora

The key thing is we all live together in Key West as One Happy Family. No question about it.

The White Street Pier was to be renamed in honor of Edward B. Knight. The event rained out. Soon to be rescheduled. Ed Knight deserving of the recognition.

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. Jenny caring for me.

Then lunch at the Cuban Coffee Queen. Cheese toast and cold Cuban coffee. Read the newspapers.

I enjoy sitting at the Queen doing nothing.

Headed to Aqua’s Back Door Bar early in the evening. Mark Watson time. Mark had told me Donna and Terri would be there. I have not seen them since they returned.

The door to the Back Bar was locked. Mark had cancelled because of the rain. What rain? A few drops here and there on occasion.

Instead, I had a drink at the inside bar.

The bartender made an interesting observation. He enjoys old silent films. I can’t stand them. He told us about a very risque 1927 silent film he had watched the evening before. Risque permissible because there was not a morality code in effect yet.

Nancy came in. I made a new friend.

Nancy is retired military. Headed straight to Key West the day after she severed from the service. Knew this is where she wanted to live. Lives here with her wife. Not sure when they married.

Nancy has a PhD. Works part time in Key West as a consultant for non profits.

I liked Nancy. Good company. Hope we see each other again soon.

Had to eat. Duffy’s at the bar. Prime rib, as usual.

Saw a disappointing thing at Duffy’s. Actually, sad. A man had ordered a Maine lobster. I assume a tourist.

It was obvious he had never eaten a Maine lobster before. He did not know how to eat it. He used his fork and knife constantly. Never pulled the claws off or removed the tail. Salt and pepper frequently. never saw him dunk the poorly ripped out meat in butter.

I am not being critical of the man nor the way he attacked the lobster. I am being critical of his waitress or someone from Duffy’s. No one helped him, gave him any advice, etc.

Along the way yesterday, I heard some Johnny Cash. A line from Folsom Prison Blues attracted me. I swiftly wrote it down. “I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.”

Cash was a long time ago. His yesterday our today. Drugs and crime rampant. Many killed daily for the fun and thrill of it. Nothing has changed, except perhaps for the number of persons killed.

I have been talking about Venezuela for four years. Since the country first ran out of toilet paper. Now, it is food.

I read yesterday that 500 hundred people had looted a food warehouse. The article further stated that the same day, 5,000 had raided a super market.

This morning, I saw a video on the internet. Venezuelan adults and children looking for food in trash cans.

As I have said consistently over the four years, I do not know why the people do not revolt against their President Nicholas Maduro. He is a lot like Fidel Castro in days gone by. Blames the United States for all his problems. Including telling the people on several occasions we were preparing to invade Venezuela.

Enjoy your day!