I MET A RAILROAD TRAIN CONDUCTOR

Posted on by

I met a railroad train conductor. A for real honest to goodness one. In his early 70’s. A conductor for 50 years. Still working at it.

Goes by JJ. He has been a conductor on the Union Pacific all those years. Enjoys his job. Showed me a photo of himself in a Christmas outfit he wears on the holiday runs. A normal conductor outfit dressed up for Christmas. Low hanging glasses. A mustache. No beard.

I met JJ when I sat next to him at the bar at Roostica.

JJ is vacationing for two weeks. His fifth year in the Key West area. Drives down. Rents a tent at Boyd’s and is happy. Fishes everyday all day.

When he mentioned the Union Pacific, my mind went back to the movies portraying the building of the railroad. With much difficulty. Bad guys, Indians, etc.

The Union Pacific was the US’ expansion west. The intent to have a transcontinental railroad. The first. A daring feat.

The man primarily responsible was Abraham Lincoln. He had a vision of bringing the east and west together via the railroad. The connection would be Omaha and Sacramento.

The Union Pacific an unmentioned part of Lincoln’s legacy. Lincoln signed the Act authorizing the construction July 1, 1862. During the Civil War. Ground was broken in Omaha in December 1863. Delays were monumental. The first rails were not laid till July 1865. Three months after Lincoln’s death.

Roostica owner Bobby Mongelli sat with me for a few moments. His three restaurants are doing well. Obvious to the eye. I mentioned I had been to Geiger Key a few times recently and the place was packed. He agreed. Told me business there now exceeds Roostica’s.

Why was I so impressed with JJ? Probably because I have not been on a train in at least 40 years. We all rode trains once. He was a figure out of the past to me.

Spent most of yesterday preparing for my podcast in the evening. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

I split the podcast into two sections. Non-Trump and Trump. Trump overwhelms the news. I wanted my listeners to also hear what is going on in the non-Trump world.

Before leaving for Roostica, I had to shower. Cold water again. No hot at all. The cold shower reenergizing.

I am turning into a half-assed engineer as concerns the water heater. There are two heating elements behind two doors. I suspect one or both have to be replaced. It appears one is working overtime, overheating and throwing the circuit breaker. As it is supposed to do.

Phone just rang. Frankie the Plumber is on his way.

Douglas High School students meet with Florida legislators in Tallahassee today. It appears the legislators are not taking the students seriously.

Bill SB 196 was pending. It would have prohibited the sale of assault weapons. The Republicans opposed to the bill. They went through a few procedural machinations yesterday. The bill died in committee. It will stay in committee this year.

Sort of an up yours to the students. Like who do you kids think you are!

I am curious as to how the students will react.

We all understand guns kill. There was another item before the legislature yesterday. A resolution exclaiming pornography was dangerous, a public health risk. One which could lead to mental and physical illnesses.

Not only did the porn resolution pass overwhelmingly, it was also debated at length.

The legislature’s priorities are screwed up.

Syracuse/North Carolina tonight at 7. ESPN. North Carolina a 5 point favorite.

Another item Bobby Mongelli and I discussed was why solar energy is not available big time and cheaply in the Keys. Who has more sun than us?

This morning I read that furniture maker IKEA has been selling in Europe and Asia “at cost” home solar panel systems. Simple to install. Cost for everything between $7,500 and $10,000.

IKEA next moving in to Australia with the product.

Solar energy has continued to decrease in cost each year. The International Energy Agency predicts solar will be the world’s primary energy source by 2050.

I wish it would get here. Energy costs are astronomical!

I want to close with Karl Marx.

On this day in 1848, Marx’s Communist Manifesto was published in London. Marx had the assistance of Friedrich Engels in writing it.

The Manifesto opens with dramatic words: “A spectre is haunting Europe–the spectre of communism.” The Manifesto ends: “The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Workers of the world, unite.”

It took 69 years for Marx’s Manifesto to succeed. The year 1917. Vladimir Lenin led the world’s first successful communist revolution in Russia.

Communism has been a threat to the United States and world ever since.

Plumber just arrived. Good service. I asked where Frankie was. Frankie and wife Sandy Don’s Place and bocce friends. He and his wife Sandy vacationing in Cancun. Sandy arranged the visit for me via cellphone.

Impressive. Love the modern world!

The plumber already advised it is the thermostat. He is putting a new one in.

Enjoy your day!

 

AQUA IDOL…..LYNDA FRECHETTE

Posted on by

The driving force behind Aqua Idol is Lynda Frechette. She and others, the driving force behind the Waterfront Theater.

Aqua Idol is the annual fundraiser to assist the Waterfront Theater. Takes money to keep a theater going. Especially an excellent one!

Aqua Idol is Lynda’s baby! Runs several consecutive tuesdays. The best singers from the lower keys participating to raise money for the Waterfront Theater.

Want an enjoyable evening? Stop at Aqua tonight at 6. The best of the best awaits you.

Stopped at Aqua last night for Dueling Bartenders. No Tom Luna. Understand he is taking three weeks off. Rick Dery holding down the fort with two other vocalists. A typical great evening.

Liz and her lady friends part of the audience. Joined them. Afterwards, Liz and I had dinner at Michael’s. Liz stopped me from ordering desert and coffee. She had it planned for home. Her home. Finished the evening at Liz’s with great carrot cake, ice cream and coffee.

My blog talk radio show tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. Join me for a quick half hour of interesting and challenging topics. Guaranteed you will not be bored. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Picture in this morning’s KONK Life: Sheila Cullen and Howard Livingston. A spectacular duo! The pic taken at the Southernmost Castaways fundraiser last friday night.

Love Eugene Robinson! Pulitzer Prize winner, Associate Editor and columnist for the Washington Post and a regular on MSNBC’s Morning Joe.

Robinson and his wife Avis have been vacationing in Key West the past several years. Last year, he spoke behalf of the Key West Friends of the Library. I missed it. He is scheduled to do it again this year.

At the Key West Theater. March 6 at 6. Arrive early. Line long. Doors open at 5:30. Free.

Water an interesting problem in the days of William Hackley. On this date in 1856, Hackley reported he could not bathe. Water foul. He could take a shower bath, however.

Raises the question in my mind as to whether bathing was done with well water. Does not seem possible. Key West is at ocean level. Nothing but ocean water a foot down.

Was the shower bath by accumulated rain water? Or, previously collected well water?

Whatever, I would like to know. If any of you have the facts, share with the rest of us.

Poor Trump. He is being mocked. In Austria. It is carnival season. Costume shops are selling Trump wigs. A popular item. Most shops sold out.

If Nixon had not screwed up with Watergate, he would be considered one of our great Presidents. A key item would have been his trip to China. He arrived in China this date 1972.

Nixon began the process of re-establishing diplomatic relations with China. A major feat!

On this date in 1848, Karl Marx, together with Frederick Engels, published The Communist Manifesto. What would become the Communist bible. the last few sentences of the work saying it all: “The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. they have a world to win. Workers of the world, unite!”

Without Marx, there would not have been a Lenin. In 1917, Vladimir Lenin led the world’s first successful Communist revolution in Russia.

Though no longer the case, by 1950 nearly half the world’s population lived under Marxist governments.

This is the best! Alexander Lukashenko is the long time President of the European nation of Belarus. He is reputed to be Europe’s last dictator. A thug, he steals elections, sends opposition politicians to forced labor camps. He even arrested  a one armed man for clapping.

Belarus is in recession. Not enough tax dollars coming in. Hundreds of thousands out of work or working little. Lukashenko refers to them as social parasites. They are not paying their fair share to run the government.

So…..He is taxing the unemployed! During a recession!

Anyone who works less than 183 days a year is required to pay $250 in compensation for lost taxes.

Less than 10 percent of those required to pay have paid.

Enjoy your day!