TRUMPELSTILTSKIN

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Trumpelstiltskin applies.

Think about it.

My President is a bully. A bully avoids confrontation. Confrontation in this instance is Trump’s appearance at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. He can hand it out. Fears getting it in return.

Go face to face. In a congenial setting. The situation cannot get worse. Something better might come from it.

Chart Room first last night.

Met two former upstate New York neighbors. Mark and Marge Rapport. Formerly of Lowville, New York.

Lowville is the end of the world. Roughly fifty miles north of Utica. Snow like you would not believe!

Mark and Marge spent 7 1/2 years residing in Lowville. Mark was the Administrator of the Lewis County General Hospital. Largest employer in the area. Mark today retired. Marge, also. From nursing.

Lowville is in Lewis County. One of the largest land counties in New York State. Correspondingly, one of the smallest population wise.

The Village of Lowville is the County seat. Its population 3.5 thousand. The Village is part of the Town of Lowville. The Town’s population 5 thousand. Includes the Villages’s 3.5 thousand.

Ain’t much to do nights in Lowville. Marital sex the frequent event. Marriages strong because of it.

Turin is a few miles south of Lowville. Turin also in Lewis County. A big ski area. Chris Rounds is a well known Key West figure. Presently owner of La Te Da and Fantasy Fest king. A good guy overall.

Chris formrly of Turin. Born and raised there.

I mentioned Chris to Mark and Marge. Though they do not know him, I suspect they will be looking him up.

Met three charming ladies. Becky, Michelle, and Donna. All in the financial field. Becky a retired CPA. Michelle an internal auditor for a hospital. Donna a senior financial analyst.

The ladies all originally from Iowa. Becky and Donna still reside there. Michelle now in New Orleans.

Spent some time chatting with Becky. Lovely lady. Charming personality. Would enjoy running into her again before she leaves Key West.

The three were on their way to a drag show at 801 later. Their first.

For me, it was off to La Te Da’s outside bar for dinner. Then a brief stop at Publix to pick up some groceries. What a bachelor does on a saturday night in Key West.

Key West people compatible. Tolerate most things. One happy family. For real.

Sometimes an outsider tests our tolerance.

A sad occurrence one in the morning on 2/23. 1200 block of Duval.

Two Key Westers going home on their bicycles. Some one on a scooter/moped came up behind them and then in front. Hit one of the bikes causing it to overturn.

The trouble maker was calling the bicyclists faggots and other vile names. Shouted at them: “You live in Trump City now!”

Sick bastard. He will be caught. Police arrived. Witnesses.

Another sick incident. Friday morning just before 6 am. Two young girls were waiting for their 6 am school bus pick up. Two men stopped in a pick up truck and offered them a ride. The girls refused. One of the mothers drove up with a bottle of water her daughter had forgotten. The men drove away.

Fortunately a rare occurrence in the lower Keys. My concern is the 6 am pick up time. The schools have to do better. These kids are getting up at 5 am to start their day. Wrong! Time for the school board to rework things.

Big day ahead. Probably will never leave the house.

Sloan at noon. Syracuse/Louisville on TV at 2. The Academy Awards tonight.

Not a bad day!

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

HOGFISH WITH DONNA AND TERRI

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A Key West evening of old last night. The way it used to be.

Dinner was at Hogfish with Donna and Terri. Except for a new thatched roof, Hogfish has been the same in the 26 years I have known Key West. A taste of old Key West.

Dined with Donna and Terri. I was their guest. Donna is a concierge. She sent enough customers to Hogfish so as to qualify for free meals and drinks for the three of us.

We ate hogfish. When in Rome, etc. Terri and I also enjoyed lobster bisque. To die for!

Conversation good. Terri in between chemo sessions. In happy spirits.

Always a pleasure to be with my lesbian wives.

There was entertainment. On the floor and at our table. Terri joined in singing many of the songs. As only Terri can.

I am having fun doing Facebook’s Go Live. Actually, Go Live with Key West Lou. You can see and hear me expound. Love it!

Yesterday, two segments.

The first concerned the whore of whores. Banks! They caused 2008. 9.3 million foreclosures, 2.5 million people out of work. No one went to jail.

Iceland had the same problem back in 2008. They sent the bankers to jail.

Spain has had a similar experience. However in this instance, bank CEOs and other hierarchy abused bank credit cards. To the tune of millions. The credit card abuse and other problems led to the banks looking to the taxpayers to bail them out. As we did in the U.S.

Spanish people like Icelanders. Said no way! Thirty some odd bankers charged, convicted and sent to jail for from 3-6.5 years.

Where were our balls back in 2008?

Financial institutions and corporations control Washington. They have danced for years to the tunes of financial institutions and corporations.

The other segment involved Sweden and Muslim immigrants.

Swedes are unusually good people. Always ready to help those in need. Whether Swedish or another nationality. Sweden took in many Muslims. The Muslims were not acclimating. Living the Swedish way of life.

Sweden saw the problem. One solution adopted was to take young and teen age Swedes and pay them to play with Muslims of similar age.

An experiment. Young swedes paid $6 an hour American money.

Worked good for about 4 weeks. Then a group of teen age Muslims boys gang raped a Swedish young lady who was part of the program.

End of the program.

Female abuse is part of the Islamic tradition. Questionable whether Muslim ladies will ever achieve equality and freedom from abuse. To be treated as people and not chattels.

Milo Yiannopoulos in Key West for a few days. He’s the one who came out last week condoning sexual relationships between adults and children.

A whack! He lost some good jobs last week. Deservedly so.

I hope Milo does not expect sex with kids in Key West. As open and free as Key West is, child abuse is not a part of our society.

Herman deBoer died yesterday. I did not know him. I do know two of his children, Guy and Dawn. Both whom I like very much and respect.

The father had to be a good man to have such children.

The father deBoer had an interesting life. He was born in Netherlands. Spent World War II in the Netherlands as a young man living under Nazi domination.

My friend Anna lived in Italy as a young child under Nazi occupation. The stories she has told me have to be comparable to those the senior deBoer observed and experienced.

May he rest in peace.

Harry Truman loved Key West. Key West loves Harry Truman.

One of Truman’s many visits began this date in 1948. Truman returned from Guantanamo Bay and spent eight days vacationing in key west.

Syracuse/Louisville tomorrow at 2. Should be interesting.

Enjoy your day!

MARTIN FELT…..KEY WEST 1974

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This blog is read primarily in the United states. It also has followers world wide. From Australia, Brazil, China, Italy, Japan, Russia, South Africa, and Thailand for example.

I received an e-mail this morning from Martin Felt. Martin has lived the past 30 years in Tuscany.

Martin lived in Key West for one year in 1974. Lived for a while on Poorhouse Lane. Poorhouse is a street running perpendicular off the cemetery.

Martin mentioned that he spent time walking in  the cemetery. He also recalled taking and pumping water from a well. The well thing especially caught my interest. Comments were received a couple of days ago re Key West wells near the Casa Marina. I think from Patrick. I was not aware of well water availability in Key West up to that time.

Martin is presently involved in writing a book about his 1974 Key West experiences. Should be interesting. A different world back then.

My yesterday began with an early visit to my heart doctor, Dr. McIvor. I swear by him! A routine test. Will get the results monday. I am not concerned.

Last night was the start of the bocce season. I missed it. Too tired. I was up at 5 in the morning to get the blog out before the doctor visit. By 5 in the afternoon, I was falling asleep watching television. I was in bed and asleep at 9 for the evening.

Spoke with David this morning. Don’s Place is off to a flying start. Won all three games last night.

Heavy date(s) tonight! With lesbian wives Donna and Terri. They are taking me out to dinner. Donna is a concierge. She has a ton of Hogfish free cards.

Go Live with Key West Lou on Facebook. Off to a flying start. Three weeks so far. A learning and adjusting activity. My viewers already exceed my beloved blog dramatically. By 300-400 percent. Amazing! Mostly a different group. Interesting.

A new play opens next week at the Key West Theater. 129 Miles From Walmart. The purpose of the title is to state unequivocally there is no Walmart for 129 miles. Suggesting Key West is a different place. It is. Like nowhere else.

Sessions now Attorney General. Not even  two weeks. Doing damage already.

The transgenders one issue.

Private prisons another.

The Obama administration ordered private prisons to be phased out. Maltreated prisoners, costly, no dollar savings, etc. Yesterday, Sessions ordained private prisons would continue. His reason, the federal government would need additional jail space in the future. For what? Immigration detainees?

Interestingly, an increase in jail population occurred beginning with Reagan. Population up 78 percent under Reagan. Fifty six percent under Clinton. Thirty two percent under Bush 2.

Finally dropped under Obama. Increase limited to 5 percent.

Staying with reversals under the Trump administration, the CIA was ordered this week to halt support for anti-Assad rebels in Syria. Does this mean we are on our way to joining with Putin in support of Assad?

CPAC interesting yesterday. Bannon in the forefront. Openly expressed his view that it was not establishment change in the U.S. alone he sought, it was world wide. The guy is dangerous!

Back in November in the New York Times, Bannon was compared to Lenin. Lenin sought the overthrow of existing government. Took a while. However, his philosophy finally succeeded. Bannon wants to accomplish the same thing.

I read somewhere that Cheney was Mother Teresa compared to Bannon.

Trump is on TV speaking before CPAC as I write. He is with his own. They are cheering his every thought. He is glowing in the adulation.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

PROPER GRAMMAR RACIST

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Pouring like hell! Dark and gloomy! A for real ocean side storm.

Love ’em. Just as much as sunny and warm days. Each its own flavor.

For many years, I have enjoyed rain and ocean. This morning, I opened the sliding doors and enjoyed the weather from my bed. Could see and hear. Nothing like it.

We are going through revolutionary times again. Racism the basis of it. One example is how certain people feel about language. The use of words. Grammar.

Proper grammar is considered reflective of white supremacy. Ergo, racist.

So sayeth certain African-Americans. Especially those who are college students.

The language spoken in the black community and parts of the white is far from what is considered by others as proper grammar. Such being the case, proper grammar should not be utilized in teaching, communicating, etc. Go with the language of the street.

Asao Inoue is the Writing Program Director at the University of Washington-Tacoma. He is one who describes proper grammar as racist.  He is anti-racist (based on what he considers racist). Wants street talk to make up the language structure.

I think Inoue and others who want street language to be the new norm are lazy. Simply stated. My sense is they refuse to accept and learn the discipline of speaking and writing proper grammar. They seek the easy way out.

Or, they are merely trouble makers.

My podcast show last night went well. As usual, fun to do. Political correctness re grammar as described hereinbefore one of the topics discussed.

Another one that I wrote about two years ago in a local newspaper and have commented on several times since. Afghanistan and the American heroin problem. Right on. Always interesting. Needs repeating till something is done about it.

Cuban Coffee Queen for lunch yesterday. Cuban cheese toast, Cuban coffee and American newspapers.

Stock Island and Key West not always joined. A boat ride separated the two. Till this date 1906. Stock Island and Key West were joined by a new 12 foot roadway built for the Florida East Coast Railroad.

Before the suns sets this day on Standing Rock, people may be injured and/or die. The Army Corp of Engineers set this date as the deadline for the Sioux Indians and their supporters to remove themselves from the property.

Some have suggested leave the issue to the courts. Others have said stay and fight. Religious fervor deep. As are basic rights. Both motivating factors re the Indian position.

If trouble occurs, Trump bears significant responsibility. He appears to have promised he would take care of things if elected. He did. He ordered construction to be resumed. His justification twofold. U.S. steel would be used, jobs created.

As a nation, we always seem to be behind. Jobs began going to Europe and Mexico twenty plus years ago. We are still fighting the battle to get them back.

Too late.

Our concern today should be robots and artificial intelligence. Such are taking over jobs. Cheaper for corporations. Involve less employee aggravation.

Cars and trucks are being tested for driverless operation. McDonald’s using kiosks where the customer presses a button to give orders. Eighteen months from now, you will receive your drive through McDonald’s order from a robot. Parking lots no longer have attendants. Machine operated.

On and on.

What have we done as a nation to train our labor force for this new world? Next to nothing.

Robots and artificial intelligence will be a major issue in the next Presidential campaign.

Warren Buffet this week reduced his holdings in Wal-Mart by $900 million. Does not speak well for Wal-Mart.

Tonight at 7, Syracuse/Duke. Big game! Duke 22-5 and ranked. Syracuse 16-12 and unranked. Duke a 4.5 point favorite. Syracuse needs to win this one to have a possibility of making the NCAA tournament.

I plan on watching the game at Jack Flats.

Still pouring like hell.

Enjoy your day!

 

AQUA IDOL…..LYNDA FRECHETTE

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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!

TED WILLIAMS / CROSSING US 1

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Baseball great Ted Williams was a fisherman. Loved it! Spent many years in waters off Islamorada fishing. While still a major leaguer and then in retirement.

One of Williams’ favorite haunts was the Lorelei. An on the water eatery and bar on the Gulf side. My favorite lunch and watering hole when in Islamorada.

The Chart Room at the Pier House is of historical significance. Many stories have emanated therefrom. One being that Jimmy Buffett got his first paying job playing and singing there. Buffett has always credited David Wolkowsky for having given him his first paying job playing and singing in the Chart Room.

The Lorelei has its stories also. One involves Ted Williams. It is said Ted Williams sold his home and moved out of the Keys when he had to start waiting for a break in traffic to cross US 1.

Accepted as true.

Getting back to David Wolkowsky, on this day in 1967 David began construction of the Pier House Motel. Fifty units. The predecessor of today’s Pier House Resort. David built the Reach and many other properties in Key West. He is now 97 and still active.

Key West and Jimmy Buffett might not have been were it not for David Wolkowsky.

Yesterday was sunday. I spent it as the Lord’s Day. Did nothing. Never left home. Laid around reading and napping.

Till 6:30. Syracuse/Georgia Tech time. Georgia Tech’s time definitely. Beat Syracuse 71-65. Syracuse played a poor second half and deserved to lose.

Oh Syracuse, my Syracuse! Please win the next and last three league scheduled games!

Early American colonists may very well have invented scalping. Not Indians.

On this day in 1725, a group of American colonists engaged in scalping. A posse of New Hampshire volunteers came across a band of encamped Indians. The colonists took 10 scalps.

Ten being the most significant number taken to that date by colonists.

Boston colonial authorities were no longer good neighbors with the Indians. They were paying a bounty of 100 pounds per scalp.

Not the first time the colonists had abused their Indian neighbors.

In the 1600s, a group of colonists attacked and defeated a large band of Indians. Beheaded many of them. Then played a form of ice hockey down the streets using the Indian heads as pucks.

The colonists involved were mostly immigrated from Europe. Where did they learn scalping and beheading? Europe or the colonies?

Go Live LIVE! The several short videos I am doing on Facebook each day has already developed a significant following. Many comments. Interestingly, those providing comments are a different group from those sharing their views here.

Try to see and hear Go Live with Key West Lou. SHARE it with your friends. Help me to develop a following.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

MARRIAGE BAR TO EMPLOYMENT

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Happy Sunday!

There once existed a marriage bar to employment. One sided. Only applied to women. A married women was not permitted to work at most jobs.

The reason was that men needed available jobs to support their families. A working woman was taking a much needed job from a man.

Employment inequality at its worst.

The issue came to my attention this morning as a result of an item which appeared in the History Section of the Key West Citizen. On this day in 1902, the Board of Education requested the resignation of Sarah Ann Roberts.

Sarah was a teacher. Proper to work as one while single. Once married however a no no. A couple/family did not need two bread earners to survive.

Everything changes with time. In most families today, the wife/mother is required to work. The family could not survive economically if she did not.

The Chart Room first last night. A sparse crowd. John bartending.

Kevin and Holly were there when I arrived. Key Westers/snowbirds. Own a home in Key West. Rent it out during season. We are into season.

They also own an RV. They have been traveling the country. As far west as Las Vegas recently.

Crossed the street to the Hot Tin Roof for dinner. Ate alone at the bar.

Ordered rack of lamb. First time for me at Hot Tin Roof. Absolutely delicious! Best lamb I have eaten in ages. Potatoes and vegetables likewise. The flavoring to die for.

I mentioned to the bartender that the lamb was fantastic, etc. Before I knew it, the chef was standing next to me. He was thrilled I enjoyed the meal as much as I had.

I was sincere. Perhaps people do not compliment the cooking when eating out. I rarely do. If last night had not been exceptional, I would not have. Good tasting food is expected.

In spite of the fanfare, I still had to pay for my dinner!

Watched the President at his rally in Melbourne in the afternoon. A campaign rally. Basically the same as he gave many times during the campaign. I do not think he realizes play time is over. He is in the real world.

Nine thousand in attendance. Many middle aged and senior citizens. Some were interviewed before Trump arrived.

I was impressed with their loyalty. They loved Trump! Were on his side. Not concerned with the first month foul ups. Confident he would come through.

Syracuse/Georgia Tech 6:30 tonight. Syracuse a three point favorite. Syracuse must win 3 of its last 4 games to be guaranteed a spot in the NCAA tournament. If only 2, maybe.

Enjoy your Sunday!

TRUMP OVERLOAD

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Seventy seven minutes. The time spent by Trump yesterday being interviewed by the press.

A free wheeling interview.

Comments are many. I will limit mine to one: Overload. The President looked as if the job was getting to him. Tired. Slow. His responses not as they once were.

The specifics you can get from the media.

One thing concerns me at the moment. Those who supported Trump in the election still support him. After all that has been seen his first month in office.

I hope they will not complain if a catastrophe befalls us.

Lori for a haircut yesterday morning. I went to bed after doing the blog. Slept through my appointment. Lori took me later in the day.

Her new salon is filling out. Pics on the wall, plants on the floor.

Anna brought me home made pierogies. Always delicious!

My cooking of them has always left something to be desired. They stick to the pan, break up, etc. Anna told me how to do it.

Bring the water to a boil before placing the pierogies in. They will sink to the bottom. Stir constantly to prevent them from sticking to the pan. Stir until the pierogies float.

I stirred, they floated and none broke up.

Melted some butter. Poured it over the pierogies. Then a touch of salt and pepper. Voila! A gourmet treat!

The Chart Room last night. Chatted with David and John.

A young lady sitting to my right. I figured early 20s. Turned out to be 26. Thin. Lovely. Great skin.

A different generation. Tattoos. All over. A small diamond on her left cheek bone.

Her name Panda. Showed me her right hand. Starting with the thumb, PANDA spelled out. One letter to each appendage.

Her life not easy. She thinks she has her life finally in order. Attending college. A psychology major. Wants to help people who might be screwed up as she once was.

Lives in Fort Pierce. First time in Key West. Fun for a few days.

I wish her well.

A fellow whose name turned out to be Bill came over and asked if I was Key West Lou. He was excited. Did my heart good. He has been reading me for 10 years.

Bill is from Sarasota. His son is getting married this weekend in Key West. At the Hemingway House. Catered by La Trattoria. The reception a guaranteed winner.

Bill is a home builder. Unique. He builds homes in  the Caribbean. Starting price $12 million.

I hope we run into each other again before he leaves town. An interesting person. I would like to get to know him better. Time was limited last night. He had a slew of wedding guests with him.

Did you ever have a desire for a certain food? Of course. We all occasionally do. Mine for a couple of days was a big greasy cheeseburger.

I stopped at 5 Guys on the way home. Not greasy, but good!

I was home in bed before nine o’clock. Watched a 1932 Myrna Loy movie.

On this day in 1972, Dustin Hoffman and his family spent the weekend in Key West. At David Wolkowsky’s Pier House Motel. Today, the gigantic and elaborate Pier House Resort. Big trees from little acorns grow.

Syracuse/Georgia Tech sunday at 6:30. Syracuse needs to win. The NCAA tournament is slipping away. They are talking about Syracuse being one of the four bubble teams having to play their way in.

Russia has a spy ship 30 miles off the Connecticut coast. Opposite Groton, a submarine base.

Many getting excited. Don’t understand why. Russian ships have been in international waters off the U.S. for years. Once beyond the 12 mile limit, waters are international.

We do the same thing to them off their coast line.

No reason for excitement/concern.

Go Live with Key West Lou on Facebook doing well. In two weeks, the volume of viewers has increased 40 percent.

Take a look. See me. I talk about anything and everything several times a day. Short comments. One to five minutes.

I ask one favor. If you watch, press SHARE so all your followers will have the show made available to them. I am obviously trying to increase my viewer followers.

Enjoy your day!

VALENTINE’S DAY DINNER DAY LATE

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My Valentine’s Day celebration was a day late. My podcast show was scheduled tuesday night.

Dee took me to dinner to celebrate the occasion. Note, she took me. An unusual experience. The lady pays. Loved it!

Even gave me a box of candy and a small stuffed animal. The animal to sleep with. Can’t win all the time.

Dinner at Spencer’s. Outside. On covered porch. Terrific meal. Outstanding company. We sat when the sun was shining. The view to die for. Still there when it got dark. A storm came up. Heavy rain and lightning. Wild!

Lunch time found me at the Cuban Coffee Queen. A couple of weeks since my last visit. I enjoy the place. Sat for a while enjoying a Cuban cheese toast and cold Cuban coffee. Reading the newspapers, of course.

Stopped at Publix on the way home. Needed only a few things. Cost me $63. How do families survive these days?

An interesting story in this morning’s Key West Citizen. A restoration of some of the gravestones at the Key West Cemetery.

A special grant had  been obtained. A number of graves were repaired. They were showing their age, toppled over, etc. The restorers believe the restored gravestones are good for 150-200 years.

My Facebook Go Live with Key West Lou show two weeks old today. I am absolutely impressed with the increase in viewers. Dramatic.

Take a look. See me live and chatting about this and that. Whatever moves me at the moment.

The NRA wins again!

Obama was responsible for a regulation last year prohibiting guns to be sold to persons with mental disorders. Affected 75,000 persons. A needed regulation from my perspective.

It was payback time yesterday. The Senate voted to repeal the regulation. The House had done it earlier. The bill goes to Trump for his signature. Trump will sign it.

Called political payback. Stupidity applies, also. Some nut is going to go off and kill several persons/children at one time.

What happened to conscience?

Enjoy your day!

…..ONLY GOD CAN MAKE A TREE

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In my other life as an attorney, I had a case where my client’s big old tree was hanging over the neighbor’s property, roots causing his driveway to heave a bit, etc.

The neighbor wanted the tree removed. The heaving driveway was a good argument. My client was destined to lose.

Counsel were standing alone before the Bench. No jury. Merely argument.

Opposing counsel made a good argument why the tree should come down. I knew before hand such would be the case.

When preparing opposing papers, I recalled Joyce Kilmer’s Trees. The closing stanza…..Poems are made by fools like me, / But only God can make a tree.

The lines were the basis of my argument. With three changes. I deleted the word “Poems” and replaced it with “Arguments.” I deleted “God” and replaced it with “Judge.” I deleted the word “make” and replaced it with “save.”

The new wording rhymed the same however…..Arguments are made by fools like me, / But only a Judge can save a tree.

I won. The tree survived. Joyce Kilmer the one who actually saved the tree.

Why Joyce Kilmer’s Trees this morning.

There is a 100 year old mahogany tree on Simonton. Across from the Gato Building. A huge branch hangs over the street. The branch has never been a problem. Until recently. The over hanging branch and a truck came into contact.

The truck had its roof ripped off. The truck the legal height. The branch illegal. Too low. No problem for 100 years. Now a problem. Cost Key West or its insurance company $9,000 for repairs to the truck.

Key West has a Tree Commission. The Commission wanted to cut the tree down. The public went crazy. Shouted a loud no!

The tree was saved. Legally it should have been cut down. However the public won out. A sign is going to be erected warning of the low hanging branch.

A popular result. One that will not prevent another accident from occurring, however. The City’s liability will then be two-fold.

The Kiss-In last night in front of the Custom House was a gigantic success. As reflected in the large front page photo in this morning’s Key West Citizen. The kissing looked good. Hundreds. Wish I could have been there. With a lady to kiss, of course.

My blog talk radio show was not aired last night. I could not connect with the broadcasting studio. Sloan tried also. She failed. We assume some technical problem at the studio end. I should know this morning. My apologies to all who tried to listen.

Had I known there would be technical difficulties, I would have been at the Kiss-In and later at Lynda Frechette’s Aqua Idol.

Dee called yesterday and invited me to Valentine’s Day dinner as her guest. The podcast show obviously interfered. We are scheduled to do it tonight. I look forward to being wined and dined by a much younger lady.

The Battleship Maine was blown up in Havana Harbor this date in 1898. Two hundred sixty American sailors killed.

In March, a U.S. Navy Court of Inquiry was held in Key West. At the newly constructed Custom House. Then a federal building.

One month later in April, the U.S. invaded Cuba. The Spanish-American War began.

Loud, proud, patriotic marching music is always tied to John Phillip Sousa.  Tunes like Stars and Stripes Forever.

Sousa and his family arrived this date in 1925 from Havana. They checked into the Casa Marina where they were to spend a few days vacationing.

Enjoy your day!