EAT IT!

Banks and major corporations are pigs. Financial ones. Anything for a dollar. Squeeze every penny out of a deal.

A perfect example is what is going on in the Keys involving Waste Management. Monroe County entered into a 10 year $75 million contract with Waste Management last year. No bids were entertained. Waste Management got the deal outright because there were those who thought it had done a good job in prior years.

A problem has arisen. Waste Management says Monroe County owes $110,000, in addition to monies already paid. Waste Management claims the contract is supposed to be for $87.15 a ton. The county says only $85.50 a ton.

Both sides seem to agree there is a clerical error in the contract. Waste Management said it missed the error when it signed the contract.

The whole thing is confusing.

My point a simple one. Waste Management should eat the $110,000. Waste Management was the beneficiary of a no bid $75 million 10 year contract. How much better could God have been? The $110,000 is a drop in the bucket in comparison to everything else involved.

If Waste Management refuses to do the right thing, Monroe County should sue to have the entire contract voided on the basis of mutual mistake of fact or whatever is appropriate under Florida law. Monroe County should also announce that the new contract will be a bid one. See how fast Waste Management toes the line.

Lunch yesterday was at the Pier House’s Beach Bar.

Sitting next to me was a couple I had briefly met the night before at the Chart Room. At the Chart Room, the wife indicated yesterday would be her 50th birthday.

When I sat at the Beach Bar, I wished her a Happy Birthday. She told me how 50 did not bother her, that 30 did. Forty was a walk through.

Two people in their early 20s walked up. She jumped, hugged them, and cried. They were her children. Surprise! Her husband had them fly down for Mom’s birthday. They had just arrived.

A nice birthday gift, a nice Mothers Day surprise.

Happy Mothers Day, one and all! My mother has been gone roughly 25 years. I miss her every day. A painting of my mother hangs over the desk I work at. The first thing I sat down this morning, I wished her a Happy Mothers Day! With a tear in my eye.

Jenna and I were supposed to have dinner together last night. She had to back out at the last minute. All was not lost, however. Dee called me about 15 minutes later and said lets have dinner together tonight.

We met at Geiger Key. Mosquitoes and all! We sprayed everything, hair included. The last time I eat at Geiger Key after dark.

Dee had bad cancer and went through two years of hell. Operations, chemo, etc. Now on the mend. Last night was the third time I had seen her in three years. All in the past six months. The previous two, she looked terrible. Ripped my heart out to see her appearance and suffering.

Last night, a change! She looked fantastic! I was taken by her return to beauty. I kept telling her all night. God bless her!  May she stay that way!

Before I run, let me tell you the story of Bimla Nayyar.

Bimla was an 81 year old woman living in Belleville, Ohio. In 2012, she went into the Dearborn Hospital for what is referred to as a simple jaw realignment. Something, someone screwed up. Brain surgery was performed instead.

Five holes were drilled into her head, the right side of her skull was sawed out and replaced. Bimla died 60 days later.

There was a lawsuit. The hospital admitted there were errors, but denied any wrongdoing.

The verdict was $21 million.

There are occasions where a malpractice suit is valid. This is one of them. In my career, I was involved in a wrong leg being amputated and in another case the wrong eye removed. The cancerous eye left in.

The $21 million will not stand on appeal. An appellate court will significantly reduce the amount. The law does not place as much value on human life as Bimla’s jury did.

Enjoy your Sunday!

TROPICAL STORM ANA

Hurricane season begins June 1. Somehow, a storm snuck in a month early. Tropical storm Ana.

Ana is presently somewhere off South Carolina. Its trajectory north. It is expected to hit the Carolinas with 2-4 inches of rain. Winds presently 45 mph. Could increase to 70 mph.

The first of the season!

My morning began on the anti-gravity treadmill. Love it! Three times per week the plan. Hope I stay with it!

In the afternoon, I played around with Growing Up Italian. Decided I might change the title so it better fit the stories. Was able to produce a chapter. A chapter I was pleased with.

The Songwriters Festival continues. Oh, so many people! Almost like season!

I noticed the increased traffic driving to the Chart Room last night. Word is the hotels and guest houses are full. Yes, 100 percent. Attributable to the Songwriters Festival. Some credit must be given to Mel Fisher. Some sort of annual event at the Casa Marina.

Jean Thornton has been lost to me for a week. She is probably busy at the Casa Marina with the Mel Fisher attendees. Recall that Jean found gold and emeralds many years ago on a Mel Fisher dive. Changed her life!

Chart Room full. All tourists. Chatted with Emily a while and left.

Dinner at Tavern ‘n Town. Quiet, as I suspected it would be. Everyone downtown for the Festival.

Yesterday was the anniversary of VE Day. I mentioned it in yesterday’s blog. As well as recounted personal memories of the day.

I was shocked at the number of comments received from others who recalled VE Day and VJ Day. Understand that those commenting are my contemporaries. Around 80 years of age. Each had one or more stories to relate re the Day.

Seems I hit a sentimental chord with my VE Day observations.

Our country’s Special Forces train in the Keys. Just off Fleming Key. Have been doing so for years.

The 50th anniversary of Special Forces is next week. On tuesday, Keys children have been invited to watch a demonstration by the Green Berets.

“Officer safety” has been added to our every day jargon. What about “citizen safety?”

Cameron won the English election overwhelmingly. The pollsters had predicted a close result. Many not sure who would win. Cameron killed the opposition!

The pollsters were wrong again. Wrong as they have been in recent U.S. elections. I have said before and say again it is because they predict as winner the candidate who hired them. Recall Romney. He and his people thought they were going to win based on their pollsters’ numbers.

Pollstering has turned into a he who pays the fiddler calls the tune situation. Immoral. Dishonest. No one benefits.

John Brown’s birthday today. The emancipator. A bit of a nut also in that he was an extremist.

I visited John Brown’s home by accident some 20 years ago. I was spending a few days at Lake Placid. It rained one day. I had nothing to do so took a ride. The roads in the Adirondacks go every which way. I ended up on a paved side road. Led to the top of a hill.

There before me was a tiny square wood cabin. Nothing spectacular. Humble. Some vegetables growing in a small area nearby. A sign indicated that Brown’s home was a national or state historical site.

This week’s KONK Life column 99 44/100 % Pure was linked to my Key West Lou Facebook site this morning. The Ivory soap story. www.keywestlou.com.

I am excited. Jenna and I are having dinner together tonight.

Enjoy your day!