FROM OCCUPIED AMERICA…..FIGHT THE POWER

There is a blog I have followed for several months. Posts several times a week. The Justice Building Blog.

The blog appears to be written by a Miami attorney. Pin points court house gossip and fact. Sometimes hits out at Trump and things happening not consistent with our democratic way of life.

The blog always signs off the same way: From Occupied America…..Fight The Power.

The ending apropos.

A pleasant few minutes with Lori yesterday. Before she began, she took me by the hand and led me outside. To show me her business sign: Blown Away.

Lori has been in her new quarters almost two years. Her husband the busiest sign maker in Key West. He never had time to make a sign for wife Lori and put it up.

He finally did as a Christmas present this year. At a time when he is additionally busy because of Irma.

He did the right thing. He now has a happy wife! She has been bothered by not having a sign up.

Spent my time in the Chart Room last night. John bartending. Business so so. People wandering in and out.

Spoke with a 72 year old man. He had a heart problem similar to mine. Aortic Stenosis. The aortic artery as it passes through the heart narrows. Narrows too much and you’re gone!

He had the surgery 6 months ago. Done through the ribs. Bovine used. A vein or artery from a cow, I assume. Previously, a pig.

He claims he is energized since the surgery.

My problem was discovered seven years ago. Surgery much more complicated at the time. Surgery four or more hours. Lengthy hospitalization. Six month recovery period.

The man was out of the hospital in five days.

Modern medicine advances swiftly.

I was aware the procedure was much simpler at this time. I asked my heart doctor recently why we didn’t do it now. I am getting older. Lets get it done before I get any older and might not be able to handle the surgery.

He was against it. Told me about the movie star Bill Paxton. He had it done when discovered. His philosophy do me when I am young and strong.

He died as a result of the surgery.

My doctor says wait. Tells me I am not ready yet, does not want me to be another Bill Paxton.

I have changed my New Year’s Eve plans. The game plan was to be with Donna and Terri and several others for the evening. Abandozza for dinner at 7. Aqua at 9 for the drag show. The street in front of Bourbon Street at midnight to watch Sushi come down in a shoe.

I thought I could handle it. Upon further consideration, decided the evening too much for me. Spoke with Donna last night. Told her to take me off the list.

The evening not a total failure. Syracuse plays Virginia Tech at 6.

Christmas week is the busiest week of the year in Key West. How busy? I observed last night more bicycles on the streets than cars. And more people crossing the street at intersections without looking.

Every evening a disaster waiting to occur. Rarely does one, however.

Friend Kevin Malloy was in a scooter accident December 13. Just found out. He was helicoptered immediately to Miami. Still in the hospital.

Hurt pretty bad. Broke 8 ribs. Four had to be plated. Badly road burned his face. Required plastic surgery.

He is on the mend. God bless! I look forward to sharing his company again soon.

Think Trump is crazy? The world is crazy!

Yemen has been involved in a three year war. Soldiers needed. Children have been recruited for three years. Two thousand one hundred twenty two so far, not including 2017. Ages generally 12-16. Some as young as 7.

Recruiting/compelling the young to fight who are under the age of 15 is a war crime under International Law.

Who can do anything about it? Can anything be accomplished?

Arab countries in western Asia are exploding. Yemen one example.

Trump is unaware of many things. One, the limits of his Presidential power. He thinks he is omnipotent. A king rather that an elected officer of the people. Acts autocratically all the time.

In an impromptu interview by Michael Schmidt of the New York Times yesterday afternoon, one of the revelations was Trump being of the opinion because he is President he could do anything he wanted with the Justice Department.

The last President who thought that way was Richard Nixon.

Forget not Irma and Me. Available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and KoboBooks.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARK WATSON

Mark Watson, Happy Birthday!

Mark is one of the most beloved persons in Key West. Drag queen at Aqua, a Dueling Bartender, wednesday night Back Door bartender, present King of Fantasy Fest. On and on.

A nice guy besides.

I shall be sharing this day with him at a dinner party tonight.

My yesterday began with a haircut at Blown Away with Lori. My haircutter and friend of 15 years.

Lori is moving Blown Away. To a new building on White Street. Across from Fausto’s and Sandy’s. Next door to the building where I did my first radio show 10 years ago.

Then lunch at the Cuban Coffee Queen. Lovely Ruby working. The lady is talented. Hard working. Her work ethic impresses me.

Jay. Former chef at Sq. 1. Sq. 1 bought out. Jay moving on. Going to be the owner of his own operation. A sandwich shop. On Southard next to Bank of America. Around the corner from Key Lime Square. Near the Cuban Coffee Queen. Five door’s from Lori’s Blown Away.

From gourmet chef to sandwich maker. The sandwiches should be terrific!

Across the street are two coffee houses, a veggie restaurant, and Mr. T’s. A couple hundred feet up Southard, a noodle restaurant. All have been in business in the immediate area for many years. Jay should do well.

Opening, September 26.

Bocce last night. Ran into Jay. He has played bocce for years. My team Don’s Place doing well. I am the cheerleader. The team won all 3 games last night. 16-3, 16-0, 16-15.

It always happens that way. You kill the opposing team in the first two games. Then complacency sets in. An extra drink. Joking around. Concentration disappears.

Don’s was winning 14-7 in the third game. Needed only 2 points to win. All of a sudden, the game was tied 14 all. Finally, a one point victory eked out.

Norm is one of the player’s on Don’s team. A nice guy. We have been friends for years. Better friends because of bocce. One of my partner’s when I played.

Norm’s wife is involved community wise. She is a Rotarian. As was her father and grandfather before her. Rotarians have their hands in many of the Key West charity fundraisers. The Brewfest last week. She was one of the ones running the event. This week, she is working hard on Poker Run.

Ten thousand bikes start roaring into Key West today. For Poker Run Weekend. Big, expensive bikes. Drivers in black leather and crazy helmets. Look dangerous. Their ladies similarly dressed. Breasts dramatic. Intentionally so.

The humor is that most are doctors, lawyers and CPAs having what they consider a wild weekend. No more wild than any other, however. They will drink a bit too much, dine at the finest restaurants and have a great time!

You and me and the federal government are not the only one’s being hacked. The Monroe County Tourist Development Council’s website has been hacked. Florida Keys & Key West Facebook page 1.

Pics of beautiful Key West deleted. Replaced with photos of scantily clad provocatively posed women.

The Tourist Council cannot remove/delete the photos. Nor can they reach anyone at Facebook for help. Nor can they post an explanation.

My suggestion is they get a computer geek immediately to work on the problem. There are several in Key West.

The Mayflower departed England this day in 1620. Sixty six days later, landed at Provincetown. Not Plymouth as most of us have learned. Several months later, a group departed and landed at Plymouth. Of Plymouth Rock fame.

The Mayflower gave us the Mayflower Compact, Plymouth Rock, and Capt. Myles Standish.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Selective Service and Training Act into law this day in 1940. A draft law.

It is time we had a draft law again. Our professional voluntary army has been pushed too hard. Several deployments. As many as seven for some. No wonder 20 veterans a day are committing suicide.

I would require two years military service following high school graduation.

Guaranteed, I am going to receive a lot of comment on the position.

Enjoy your day!

MOSQUITO CONTROL BOARD OUT OF CONTROL

Local elected boards and the citizenry have one thing in common for sure. They are neighbors.

It appears the mosquito control board forgot that last night.

A meeting was held. Chaired by the board. Citizens welcome. A main issue the GM mosquito/Ozitec/Key Haven issue.

The board must have expected a Normandy invasion. Three sheriff deputies present. A first. The board defensive. The crowd respectful.

Guy de Boer is publisher of KONK Life. I write a weekly column that is run in KONK Life.

Until this morning, I was not aware that Guy had worked for 14 years for the mosquito control board.

He attended the meeting last night. Wrote a column that appears in this morning’s KONK Life E-Blast. Read the article. Interesting and shocking.

Guy’s article made mention of a FOIL request that has gone some time with the materials not provided. Barriers appear to have been set up to foil the FOIL request.

Money was first an issue. Cost of copying $20,000. Crazy! Last night announced to be $8,000. A check was offered in the amount. Payment refused.

The board says the District’s attorney must review the materials first to see if any “classified information” is contained.

Arrogance of the highest degree by a local elected board. Especially a mosquito one. The board is acting like a Federal Agency or Congressional Committee. An example of being out of control.

On the way to my car last night, I walked by the Chart Room. Saw Ollie inside. Stopped briefly to chat with him. Ollie is into the GM mosquito thing big time. He updated me on things happening from the Key Haven residents’ end.

My day yesterday started with a noon haircut with Lori at Blown Away. She was excited. Leaving on a three day Bahamas cruise today. A bachelorette party.

Lunch afterwards around the corner at the Cuban Coffee Queen. Ruby working the counter. Cheese toast and cold Cuban coffee.

Hot Tin Roof for dinner last night. Dined with Adam. Adam took care of my house for several years.

An interesting person. Adam born and raised in Poland. Lived a few years in Italy. Now in the U.S. many years.

My freezer is busted. Waiting to see if it can be fixed. Frozen food lost.

My freezer is in the garage. The room for a refrigerator/freezer in the kitchen has a large refrigerator.

The garage not a healthy place for a freezer. Garages not permitted to be air conditioned in the Keys. Only a window one. No matter the size, could never do the job.

Generally the heat only inflicts damage on the outside of the freezer. Paint cracks, peels, rusts and occasionally molds.

The freezer is 10 years old. Could be time for a new one.

My KONK column this week Mommy, I’m Hungry was linked to my Key West Lou website this morning. It is easily available there. I ask my far to the right and Republican friends to read it. You may be surprised  by what you read. www.keywestlou.com.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

MARIO SANCHEZ BAG SKETCHES

My evening yesterday began at the Custom House. The Mario Sanchez Bag Sketch Exhibit.

I was interested for a number of reasons. I had never seen the bag sketches. They were being shown from  the collection of David Wolkowsky. David was to attend in the company of Christina Oxenberg. Christina is a new writer for KONK Life. Her writings exciting. I was looking forward to meeting her.

Sadly, David and Christina did not appear.

The exhibit was scheduled for 5:30. I arrived at the Custom House at 5:20. The humidity heavy. No breeze.

The Custom House doors locked. Opened precisely at 5:30.

I got in line to enter. Noticed a charming cheerful woman at the door marking names off as people entered. I had not made a reservation. Then it dawned on me, the showing must only be for members.

I found out when it was my turn to be signed in. The first half hour was members only. I politely explained I did not want to stand outside in the humidity for a half hour.

Genius touched me. I said, I join! She was thrilled. I was handed over to another lady who gave me an application and told me to mail it in with my check.

The exhibit. A wow!

Much of Sanchez’s work involved wood carvings. The carvings had first to be sketched on paper. Precisely. Sanchez used unfolded grocery paper bags. Rudimentary sketches of what would ultimately be a lovely wood carving.

Seventy one bag sketches. All interesting.

Ran into Carl at the exhibition. Last saw Carl at the bocce party a couple of week’s ago. His wife Nancy a loyal blog reader. We chatted a bit. Nancy in New York so I did not have the pleasure of seeing her again.

Sheila was there. Sheila worked at the Custom House at one time.

My day started at Body Owners. Anti-gravity treadmill time. My speed increased a bit more. I am pushing myself. The next time I work out I shall reach the speed where I was when I had to stop. Then I work on time. I am only at 50 percent time wise.

Lovely Jenny worrying about me.

From the treadmill to the Cuban Coffee Queen for lunch. My usual. Cuban cheese toast and an iced Cuban coffee. Read the newspapers.

Ruby continues  to impress me. I watched her handling the customers. All kinds of people and dispositions. Ruby does well.

Felt like doing something different. Decided to visit the Butterfly Museum. The Key West Butterfly and Nature Observatory. Had not been there in a couple of years. Last time with the grandkids. This time alone.

I think I was looking for peace. Motivated my visit. My recollection was that it was peaceful to walk through the foliage with butterflies fluttering around. Some setting on your shoulder for a minute or two.

I was right. It was a calming experience.

After the Custom House, I stopped into the Chart Room. Victor bartending. Met Jimmy Riggins from Pensacola. Jimmy in the pharmaceutical business.

We were the only persons in the Chart Room.

Victor is a Libertarian. We got into a discussion of values. Victor contributing the Libertarian views and Jimmy and I the opposite side. Victor beat our asses! He had an intelligent response for each issue raised.

Duffy’s for dinner. A prime rib.

Duffy’s has changed its menu. No more prime rib in three different cuts. I used to get the small one. One cut only now. The large one. I could not finish it. Left almost half. A waste of money. I will have to examine the new menu and find some dishes I can finish. I hate waste.

Kari waiting tables. Had not seen her in a while. She and Boomer were off somewhere visiting family for 2-3 weeks.

Sarah bartending. Someone I met for the first time sitting at the bar. Jane. Jane works the Fury. She has a Captain’s license. I was impressed.

Her boy friend is up in Jersey working this summer. She is off to visit him soon. First time visit to the Jersey shore. Told her one of my favorite places. She will enjoy.

As the world turns. Things change with time.

West Hollywood’s Sunset Strip/Sunset Boulevard has become over the years a shady undesirable place. Drugs, prostitution, etc. The derelicts of society.

Hustler’s Larry Flint’s flagship store was located on the Strip. It was recently sold for $18.3 million to make way for the Arts Club. The Arts Club being an elite members only social club. Rents will range from $3,500-$22,000 a month. No cheapy. Other extremely expensive projects under construction.

Enjoy your day!

 

MOE’S WAY

Moe Mosher recently died. A Key West icon. Moe was a barber and entrepreneur. One of the founders of Historic Tours of America.

Moe’s barber shop was and still is on the alley running along side Antonia’s Restaurant. Next to the Cuban Coffee House. The building best described as a small white house. Front had an area with a rocking chair and reading materials next to it. Used by many.

Key West recently recognized the contributions Moe made. It has been decreed that henceforth the alley will be called Moe’s Way. A fitting tribute.

Moe a local figure of note. Julian Bond a national figure.

Julian Bond died yesterday. He was 75. A contemporary. I recall his exploits clearly. I was a young lawyer in the 1960s when Bond came upon the scene.

Bond was black. Initially a militant in the 1960s civil rights movement. He moved over to become a leader in the non-violent movement. He was anti-Vietnam. A very unpopular war. His concern was not only that we did not belong there. It was also that most of the American soldiers fighting and dying were blacks.

He was elected a Georgia State Senator. White Georgia was shocked. The Senate refused to seat him. The reasons given were he was an interloper (he would be a black in a white political body) and a rabble rouser.

Today, Bond’s life is a respected part of American history.

A big sunday for me! Work wise. It took me from 11 in morning to 5 in the afternoon to write this week’s KONK Life column. Actual writing time with revisions, rewrites, etc. It is the rewriting that takes time. I call it polishing the article.

The six hours required even though I had spent parts of friday and saturday researching the material. A lot of data involved. The primary reason it took so long to write. I had to separate the wheat from the chaff.

I titled the article Black Lives Matter / Play Tough. It ties together the Black Lives Matter group, George Soros, the Democratic Presidential campaign, and Nixon dirty tricks. Interesting and revealing. You will enjoy reading it. The column publishes wednesday.

I was able to catch the last hour of the PGA. Great golf! Whereas 20 years ago we had one Tiger Woods, today we have several. The new guys are good because Woods raised the standard. They are meeting that standard as Woods unfortunately fades into the sunset.

Dinner last night at Roostica. Becoming a usual sunday thing for me. It is the sunday special. Spaghetti with meatballs and sausage in a thick pork sauce. Just like grandmother and mother made. Love it!

Amanda was on of the ladies taking care of me. Amanda a lovely blond. Pregnant. We talked about her pregnancy. She is thrilled! Five months. Feels good. Excited. It’s a boy. Has his second name picked. After a grandfather. Does not have a first name yet.

I have to hustle. The anti-gravity treadmill awaits.

Enjoy your day!

 

OH, THE PAIN

I hurt. The fall two days ago.

I woke yesterday morning sore all over. Tried bocce last night. Played only one game.

My night in bed was difficult. Could not find a spot without pain. It was my right hip. I could feel it swollen under the skin, but no discoloration.

This morning an abomination! Cannot sit, lay down or walk comfortably. My breath is taken away.

I am waiting to call the doctor. I can see x-rays or a CAT scan afterwards. I hope it is nothing more than a muscle pull.

Getting on in years is not a cup of tea!

Bocce last night went well. We won all three games. Record now 15-4. We are probably in second place. What a start!

My day started with a haircut. Lori always good company. We had a laughing conversation as she clipped away.

Another Harry Truman tid bit. On this day in 1952, he left Key West after a three week vacation. The second three week vacation I have reported recently. Part of the 175 days he spent in Key West.

I read an article yesterday to the effect that the number of Chinese coming to the United States for college educations had reached an unprecidented level. The report did not surprise me.

Many people read this blog. One is a Chinese mother presently living in San Francisco. She was here with her son who was a college student. When his education is complete, they would return to China. They were in the United States for the specific purpose of her son’s college education.

She told me the best educations were available in the U.S. She wanted her child to have the best. When they returned to China, her son would be better equipped for life than those his age who remained in China for college.

Enjoy your day!